Big-shot Surratt’s 3-pointer key to Douglass’ overtime win over Bryan Station
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- DeMarcus Surratt hit a buzzer 3 to force overtime and finished with 31.
- Surratt drew the fifth foul on Amari Owens and scored six points in OT.
- Game featured nine ties, 11 lead changes; next meeting set for Jan. 30 at Bryan Station.
Trailing by three in front of a packed house at home at The Farm on Tuesday, Frederick Douglass had 6.7 seconds to get down court for a chance to tie 42nd District rival Bryan Station in the first of their two regular season games this month.
There was no question who would take the shot for the No. 8 Broncos.
Senior guard DeMarcus Surratt received the inbounds pass on a run up the right sideline and turned toward the top of the key as teammate Tate Robinson briefly feigned a screen at the right wing.
Surratt rose over the outstretched hand of Bryan Station’s 6-foot-6 forward Taeshawn Adams and snapped his wrist sharply on a 21-foot 3-point shot that swished cleanly through the net to tie the game at 53-53 as the horn sounded to end regulation. The Douglass student section erupted in their endzone seats as the whole gym buzzed over the moment.
“I’ve got to take the shot,” Surratt said when asked what was going through his mind on the final play of the fourth quarter. “That’s one thing I really wanted to work on this year as a senior. I wanted to be that man. I wanted to take over for my team and hit big shots. I got that ball, and I wasn’t going to pass it. So, you know, it felt great hitting it.”
Surratt scored six of the Broncos’ 10 points in overtime and, perhaps more importantly, drew the fifth foul on Bryan Station standout point guard Amari Owens with more than two minutes left in the extra period.
Douglass went on to grab a 63-60 win in Lexington’s fiercest boys basketball rivalry. Surratt led all scorers with 31 points.
“DeMarcus Surratt should be a Mr. Basketball candidate,” Douglass coach Murray Garvin said. Academically, athletically, community wise, the way he leads this program, the way he carries himself … there’s no better player in my eyes.”
This is just Round 1 of what could be as many as four contests between the Broncos and the Defenders this year. Last season, Douglass (9-4) topped Bryan Station in Lexington Catholic’s holiday tournament finals and both regular season games only to lose the district championship for the first time in five years to the Defenders in a game for the ages.
“Every time we play station, we know it’s gonna be a battle, regardless of records, regardless of who’s on the court,” Surratt said. “It’s always a great game, a great atmosphere. I think our togetherness and our bond as a team really just brought us through and helped us win that game.”
Bryan Station (11-5) came out the aggressor early as Owens, one of the city’s all-time most prolific scorers notched 11 of his team-high 21 points in the first quarter. The Defenders, ranked No. 7 in the Herald-Leader’s preseason poll of coaches and listed first among others getting votes in the latest Kentucky Media Elite 16 poll, led by as many as eight points in the first frame, but Douglass took a 27-23 lead into halftime.
“Tonight, they got off to a good start and we had to make an adjustment,” Garvin said. “Anytime we play Bryan station, it’s going to be a game like this, because there’s so much at stake.”
The game featured nine ties and 11 lead changes. Douglass led 46-40 with 4:14 left in the fourth quarter. Bryan Station led by three on three different occasions in the final minute. Adams converted all four of his free throws in the final 19 seconds to stretch it to three twice. Adams finished with 18 points. Torrence Stanford added 12 points, including two 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.
Surratt drove the length of the court for a tough layup to cut the Broncos’ deficit to 51-50 with 7.6 seconds left in regulation. That set up Adams’ final two free throws and the Bellarmine commit’s dramatic game-tying shot.
Bryan Station coach Champ Ligon opted against trying to foul on Douglass’ last possession of the fourth quarter.
“It’s the age-old decision: Do you foul them and make them make two plays? But what possibly happens is you foul him and they’re in the act of shooting, and then that can really hurt you,” Ligon said. “We’ve got a 6-6 guy extended in his face … We did everything we could. You’ve got to give Surratt credit for stepping up and hitting a big-time shot.”
Robinson scored eight points for Douglass. Broncos center Nate Coen added seven points and had a team-high five assists.
“Douglass played their hearts out and they were one play better than us,” Ligon said. “It won’t be the last time we see them and, hopefully, the next time, we’re one play better.”
Save the date
What: Frederick Douglass at Bryan Station
When: 7:30 p.m., Friday, Jan. 30
This story was originally published January 14, 2026 at 12:58 AM.
