Baba Oladotun Hits Game-Winner to Send Blake to Maryland State Championship Game

Blake basketball star and University of Maryland commit Baba Oladotun finally made his 2025-26 season debut on Tuesday. It was also perfect timing as it happened to be the MPSSAA Class 4A boys basketball state semifinals.

A Dramatic Season Debut

The Bengals made it to the state semifinals without their star, who has been battling an ankle injury that has kept out of action up to this point. Oladotun returned to the line on Tuesday against Meade at North County High School. Safe to say, Oladotun made his presence known.

An Overtime Scramble for Loose Ball Turned Into a Game Winning Shot

With the score tied at 64-64 with 10 seconds left in overtime, Blake missed back-to-back free throws. That's when players from both teams scrambled for the loose ball, Oladotun picked it up in the paint and put in what proved to be the game-winner with seven seconds left.

After Blake misses two FT's Baba Oladotun comes up with the loose ball and puts in the game winning bucket for Blake who will face Whitman in an all Montgomery County state championship.

Meade had a lot of trouble inbounding the ball after Baba's bucket and couldn't get a good… pic.twitter.com/2IzZz8J1gM
— Capitol Hoops (@CapitolHoops) March 11, 2026

Mead's Final Attempt Was Off the Mark

Meade wasn't able to inbound the ball cleanly after Oladotun's bucket and the Mustangs were forced to put up a three-quarter court shot that didn't go. Blake won the game, 66-64, as the five-star Maryland signee finished with 11 points.

Oladotun entered Tuesday's contest midway through the first quarter to make his season debut.

Blake Will Face Whitman for the Class 4A State Title

Next up for Blake, they will take on Whitman in the MPSSAA 4A boys basketball state championship game at UMBC. It will be a rematch of the Montgomery County title game, where the Bengals took that championship without Oladotun.

The Future Terp Looks Forward to Playing for His Home State University

When the highly regarded Maryland high school standout signed with the Terrapins, completing his recruiting journey he ended up where he always wanted to be – home. With a reputation as a dynamic player, his skill, athleticism and work ethic attracted attention from programs across the country.

Despite the national interest, Maryland remained a constant throughout the recruiting process.

For Oladotun, the opportunity to represent his home state carried special meaning. Playing for the Terrapins allows him to stay close to family while competing at the highest level of college basketball in the Big Ten Conference.

His signing also represented a significant win for Maryland’s for Maryland's first-year head coach Buzz Williams, keeping a local standout within the state’s borders and strengthening the program’s future.

Before he heads to College Park, Oladotun has one more big high school moment ahead, with a chance to win a state championship.