COLLINSVILLE - Antonio Dean III is a key part of the Granite City High boys basketball team and is one of its leaders as the Warriors look ahead to the second half of the season after the holidays.
Dean is a Stillwater Senior Living Male Athlete of the Month for the Warriors.
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Dean is among the leading scorers for Granite, averaging 9.9 points-per-game, and is also averaging 0.9 rebounds-per-game to go along with 10 assists and 16 steals as the Warriors are currently 8-7 after losing all four games and finishing 16th in the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic.
In an interview conducted after the Warriors lost to Lincoln 46-37 on the tournament's opening night on Dec. 27, 2025, Dean emphasized the good things Granite did in the game, such as holding the Railers to one point in the second quarter, and 14 in the first half, before Lincoln outscored the Warriors in the second half 32-23 to win the game.
The Warriors fought back in the fourth quarter to come within five points, but the comeback attempt fell short as the Railers hit their free throws and won going away.
It's been a very positive season for the Warriors overall, where the team has played hard, and Dean pointed to the team's work ethic and communication as important elements in the season thus far.
"I would say communication is one," Dean said. "And teamwork, passing the ball. Overall, just being a good team, helping each other."
Dean has his sights set on the second half of the season, which gets underway for Granite on Jan. 8, 2025, at home against Belleville East, and includes games with Belleville West, St. Louis Cardinal Ritter College Prep Catholic, Staunton, and St. Louis Lift For Life Academy.
"Yeah, I'm looking forward to it," Dean said. "It's going to be fun. We have some tough teams to go up against, but we've got to win."
It's been one of the better seasons in some time for the Warriors, and Dean is very happy with how things have gone so far this season.
"I feel like we're way better than last year," Dean said. We've got more team chemistry, and overall, we're just better."
Dean is hopeful for positive results for the second half of the season.
"I hope we do a little better," Dean said, "especially against the good teams. I hope we play hard, get wins, and just do well."
