Special to the News

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Auburn’s Quan Prowell might have improved his NBA draft status after averaging 14.3 points and 8.0 rebounds in three games in the prestigious Portsmouth Invitational last week. Prowell shot 43 percent from the field and 75 percent from the foul line.

“Quan came in, and we were impressed in the way he played both ends of the court,” said Ryan Blake of NBA Scouting. “He had a nose for the rim and helped himself tremendously just because of his work ethic.”

Prowell recorded back-to-back double-double games with 12 points and 10 rebounds in each of his final two games while averaging 30 minutes per game.

“It doesn’t matter about his draft status right now,” Blake said. “It helps him with the possibility of getting in the NBA pre-draft camp. If he doesn’t get into that, it opens the doors to get in for workouts. Even if he doesn’t get drafted, that won’t hamper him in making an NBA team.”

The NBA pre-draft camp is May 27-30 in Orlando.

Denniston makes Paralympic team
Former Auburn swimmer Dave Denniston earned his way to Beijing on April 5 as he qualified for the United States team that will compete at the 2008 Paralympic Games.

The Games are slated for Sept. 6-17, 2008, following the completion of the Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

Denniston was a 15-time All-American for the Auburn and a three-time NCAA individual champ.

Following his time at Auburn, Denniston remained a competitive swimmer and earned a spot on the U.S. National Team for the 2001 World University Games in Beijing where he won a gold medal on the 400m medley relay. He also earned a spot on the national team for the 2003 FINA World Championships in Barcelona, Spain.

Denniston’s life changed on Feb. 6, 2005, when he was involved in a sledding accident near Laramie, Wyo., that left him paralyzed from the waist down.

Since his accident, Denniston has dedicated himself to his rehabilitation and has made his way back into the pool. His training and work culminated at the 2008 Paralympic Trials that were held April 3-5 in Minneapolis, Minn. Denniston competed in five events at the qualifying meet, earning his way onto the team after clocking a 1:55.40 in the 100m breaststroke.

Even though this was not his first national team, Denniston says that qualifying for the Paralympic Games carries a special meaning.

“This one is special because of everything I have been through since those other teams,” said Denniston. “It took a lot of support and coaxing to get me back in the water and I’m so glad I did. I don’t know if I can call it the most special team I’ve ever been on, because I don’t know yet. But I’ve never cried when I made a team until this one.”