The five-star Maryland signee returned from injury, delivered in the biggest week of the season, and helped James Hubert Blake capture the first state championship in school history
Baba Oladotun saved one of his best high school moments for last.
The five-star Maryland signee helped lead James Hubert Blake High School to a 60-44 win over Walt Whitman in the MPSSAA Class 4A state championship game Saturday night at Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena, delivering the program’s first state title in any sport and closing his high school career with a championship finish.
For Blake, it was a historic night.
The Bengals finished the season 25-3 and completed a strong postseason run with a performance that showed poise, depth, and timely shot-making. While Blake’s backcourt helped set the tone offensively, Baba Oladotun gave the Bengals another lift in limited minutes and brought energy that changed the feel of the game.
The 6-foot-9 forward finished with 11 points, five rebounds, and several momentum-changing plays in only 16 minutes. He knocked down a three-pointer that helped Blake grab control early, then added two dunks that brought the crowd to life and pushed the Bengals closer to history.
That made his championship performance hit even harder.
Much of Baba Oladotun’s senior season had been shaped by an ankle injury that kept him off the floor for months. Blake kept winning without him, but his return late in the postseason added another weapon to an already dangerous group. In the state semifinals earlier in the week, Oladotun scored 11 points and delivered the go-ahead layup with seconds left in a dramatic 66-64 overtime win over Meade, sending Blake to the title game.
By Saturday night, he looked ready for the moment.
He did not need heavy minutes to leave his mark. He ran the floor hard, finished strong above the rim, stretched the defense with his outside shot, and gave Blake a physical presence Whitman had to account for. His stat line stood out, but his impact went deeper than numbers. Every big play added more life to the Blake side and more pressure to a Whitman team trying to hang around.
For Oladotun, the championship capped a season that took an unexpected turn.
After averaging 22.5 points per game as a sophomore and building a reputation as one of the top prospects in the country, he reclassified to the 2026 class and entered this season with major expectations. Injury changed the path, but not the ending. He came back in time to help Blake finish the job and walk away with the biggest win in school history.
Now the attention shifts to the next level.
Baba Oladotun is set to continue his career at the University of Maryland, where he is expected to be part of head coach Buzz Williams’ rebuild in College Park. Before that, local fans should still have one more chance to watch him compete in the upcoming Capital Classic.
For Blake, this title was about team basketball, belief, and a breakthrough moment for the program.
For Baba Oladotun, it was a strong reminder that even after a season full of setbacks, the final chapter can still belong to you.
