Jaloni Cambridge's shoes are a show-stopper as Ensworth reaches second straight DII-AA title game

COOKEVILLE – How important are a basketball players shoes?

Ensworth star guard Jaloni Cambridge has about 45 pair and while she may go months without wearing a particular brand, she insists that she wears them all.

Friday, Cambridge sported her Kyrie 7's while dropping 29 points, seven rebounds and four assists in Ensworth's 73-58 win over Briarcrest Christian in the TSSAA Division II-AA BlueCross Girls State Basketball Championships semifinal Friday at Tennessee Tech's Eblen Center.

The Lady Tigers (27-4) are looking for their second straight state championship and third in four years when it faces Knoxville Catholic (20-12) at 4 p.m. Saturday.

"I have shoes in my locker at the school," Cambridge said. "And I have at lot sitting in my closet. There's shoes at the top and shoes at the bottom."

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Cambridge, the No. 1 player in the country for the Class of 2024 according to ESPN, is a fan of the more colorful shoes, but doesn't color code them.

"Color coded actually bothers me," she said. "In my locker at school, you have your good shoes and bad shoes, so I kind of put the ones that I wear the most in the front and then eventually I make my way all the way to the back."

Ensworth coach Mary Taylor Cowles doesn't pretend to be a shoe expert. She's never been into them, but understands why the younger generation is.

"I think shoes are a very personal thing for kids," she said. "A lot of people will say no, kids are only into shoes if they look good. I differ on that opinion. I think shoes have to be comfortable for people, especially for athletes who are playing the game of basketball."

Cowles allows her players to chose to wear what they want. There is no uniform shoe for Ensworth. Cambridge, a Miss Basketball finalist, has more Under Armour shoes than any other brand and will ask her teammates' opinion on which ones to wear.

"Before every practice she'll be like, 'Which shoes should I wear today?'" said Ensworth guard Nori Jamison, who had 23 points against Briarcrest.

But Cambridge admitted she doesn't always follow their advice.

"Sometimes before games too, I'll go ask my teammates because I'm so indecisive," Cambridge said. "And then when I ask, I'll chose the other shoe. I don't chose the one they pick."

Reach sports writer George Robinson atgrobinson@gannett.com and on Twitter @Cville_Sports.