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Winfield's sizable contribution leads Gratz over Southern

DONTÉ WINFIELD was quite the inside force.

DONTÉ WINFIELD was quite the inside force.

As a youth basketball player, he owned the paint and the blocks and other near-spots on the wing and baseline and if someone managed to stop him, surprise was most folks' reaction.

Yes, it's pretty cool being the tallest kid on the team.

What's not cool? Never growing another centimeter.

"I'm 6-foot now and that's what I was in eighth grade," Winfield said. "Back then I weighed about 160 pounds and now I'm 140. I kept thinking I'd wind up being pretty big. But then I just stopped."

Winfield told his story Thursday in the basement of Southern High's gym, following a very entertaining Public B game that, unfortunately, unlike the ol' days, was witnessed by no more than 40 spectators.

Simon Gratz Charter posted a 64-61 win and Winfield, a senior wing guard, played a major role, shooting 7-for-15 and 6-for-6 for 25 points. Seven field goals and six free throws usually translate to 20 points, but Winfield also went 5-for-8 behind the arc.

"When I saw that I wasn't going to grow anymore," he said, "I knew I had to change my game. I never liked shooting jump shots. I was a slasher. Did everything on the move.

"But how many 6-foot centers do you see? I had to work on my jumper and that's what I've done. Last summer was a big moment for me. My AAU coach told me, 'Hey, face it. You're done growing. It's time to make your jump shot better.' "

Winfield settled for five points in the first half as the Bulldogs fell into a 33-26 hole. Then he basically owned the final 16 minutes, draining four of his treys and all six of his free throws.

Four of his freebies, making it 62-59 and then 64-61, were posted in the final 34 seconds. Tyreese Livingston followed the first group with a layup off a drive that covered three-quarters of the court. The last sequence featured missed treys by center Ralik Wise (left wing) and Wayne Brunson (left corner, after he'd grabbed the rebound and dashed beyond the arc).

Winfield, who played last season for Palmer Charter, said he transferred to Gratz because of its improved academic reputation under the Mastery umbrella.

"My cousin went to the Shoemaker campus [in West Philly] and loved it," Winfield said. "He said it was like getting a private school education for free. Academics, that was the main reason. But I also loved Gratz' basketball tradition."

Also new to Gratz are fellow wing guard Dashante "DJ" Alexander and Rafiq Marshall (via Robert Lamberton). Alexander contributed 12 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals, but Marshall could only keep the scorebook because he was denied eligibility by PIAA brass at the District 12 and state levels.

Can't keep him from loving the game, though.

Winfield said he often spends up to 3 hours each weeknight at a Jewish Community Center not far from his Wynnefield home. Between sessions at Gratz and the JCC, he figures he shoots up to 500 jumpers. He also involves himself in snappy games of revolving one-and-one against Alexander and Marshall.

"It's pretty even," he said. "We all beat each other. Back and forth."

Of his obsession with shooting, Winfield said, "Hard work. That's what it takes. I really study shooting. I have tapes - and I watch YouTube clips - of Larry Bird, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan . . . And I like Richard Hamilton a lot because he has the midrange game going."

Malik Tyndale (11) and Shaakir Gibbs (10) joined Winfield and Alexander with double figures in points for Gratz, which is now being coached (for the second time this season; Aron Cohen is no longer part of the picture) by former star forward Andre Griffin ('91). Also, Qasim White was a wonderful unsung hero.

He took four charges - from much bigger guys - and likely would have posted two more if whistles had not blown right beforehand.

"Qasim, that's our backbone!" Winfield gushed. "Going into battle, he's the guy I trust the most. He's got your back every time. Guaranteed. We don't give him as much credit as he deserves."

For Southern, which features four lefties in the eight-man rotation (and five total), Wise bulled/fancy-footed to 25 points and 22 rebounds. Brunson, a first team Daily News All-City running back, scored 15 points and Robert Leonard dealt six assists.

Southern is in year No. 2 of a combo team with Horace Furness and only three of its students are on the roster (to nine for Furness). Two others are part of a special credit-recovery program that's housed in Southern; those students can play for the Rams or their original school, according to its leader.

Winfield is hearing from an interesting mix of schools - Howard, Louisiana Tech and Rosemont among them - and figures he wants to pursue a career in sports management.

Don't bet against him. He did major work to assure he'd still be a meaningful basketball player, right?