The Kennedy and Jaloni Cambridge sisters unite in Columbus

Redshirt sophomore Kennedy Cambridge (left) with her sister, freshman Jaloni Cambridge (right). Source: Courtesy of Maria Slovikovska

Sisters by chance, teammates by choice.

Kennedy and Jaloni Cambridge are teaming up on the basketball court again, but this time at Ohio State.

Kennedy Cambridge said she feels fortunate to be able to play alongside her sister again and knows that each of them brings a different set of skills to the team.

“Have fun and support your siblings,” Kennedy Cambridge said. “Because even if you don’t have what they have, at the end of the day, all you have is family.”

Jaloni Cambridge committed to play basketball for the Buckeyes in December 2023, joining her sister Kennedy Cambridge just seven months after transferring from the University of Kentucky to Ohio State.

However, this won’t be the first time the sisters have collaborated on the basketball court.

In 2022, the duo won the state championship as teammates at Ensworth High School in Nashville, Tennessee.

Their high school coach, Mary Taylor Cowles, said Kennedy and Jaloni Cambridge were great people, which helped them become excellent leaders both on and off the court.

“If you sit in the gym and watch them, it’s just obvious,” Cowles said. “If you really get to know Kennedy and Jaloni (Cambridge), you get to know them much more than the great athletes that they are.”

Cowles said the sisters are not only two different players on the field, but also have different types of personalities off the game.

“They are all different in the way they play, so it was a real complement,” Cowles said. “(Kennedy Cambridge) will say whatever is on her heart and mind, while Jaloni (Cambridge) will speak a little more softly.”

Kennedy Cambridge only played one season at Kentucky, where she averaged just 2.7 points and 2.3 rebounds in just 14.4 minutes per game.

Kennedy Cambridge said that before she decided to leave the Wildcats, she talked to her sister about reuniting at the collegiate level.

“When I was going to transfer, I knew I had to choose a school that my sister would want to go to,” Kennedy Cambridge said. “She told me which ones she liked, so I went to visit and then we talked about it.”

Jaloni Cambridge then verbally committed to play basketball for the Buckeyes on December 29.

Jaloni Cambridge stated that she felt the Ohio State basketball program exuded a sense of family, which made it the right choice for her and her sister.

“I chose this school because of the family atmosphere on and off the field, mostly off the field,” Jaloni Cambridge said. “Having my sister here was also an important aspect.”

Head coach Kevin McGuff said he would sign both sisters to the Buckeyes, especially Jaloni Cambridge, the third recruit in the 2024 class, according to 247 Sports — will be huge for recruiting in the future.

“They’re both outstanding people that I think other people want to play with,” McGuff said. “Jaloni (Cambridge) is someone people want to play with because she shares the ball and I think her impact on recruiting over the next few years could be huge.”

McGuff said he believes the sisters work so well together because of their compatible skill sets, with Jaloni Cambridge being a dominant player with the ball while Kennedy thrives off the ball.

“Jaloni (Cambridge) is a little better in the open court with the ball in his hands,” McGuff said. “And Kennedy (Cambridge) is probably a little better on the ball – catching, shooting and making plays.”

Jaloni Cambridge stated that she learns from Kennedy Cambridge every day, citing the latter’s positive attitude as a trait she wishes to emulate.

“To keep a smile on your face, that’s what I learned from Kennedy (Cambridge),” Jaloni Cambridge said.

Heading into the 2024 season, the sisters are on a mission to help strengthen the Ohio State basketball program. The Buckeyes’ first chance will be on December 8, when they host the University of Illinois Fighting Illini at the Schottenstein Center.