Hoops camps to open in June
From staff reports

Watauga’s boys’ basketball team will be having summer camp from June 10-12. The camp will be open for any rising third-through ninth grader.

Registration forms have been taken to all the elementary schools. For more information, contact coach Rob Sanders at 264-2407 or visit the web site www.watauga.k12.nc.us/whs.

The Watauga women’s basketball team will hold summer camp from June 17-19. The camp will be open to rising fifth through ninth grade girls. Registration forms have been taken to all elementary schools. For more information, contact coach Klay Anderson at 264-2407 or visit the school’s web site www.watauga.k12.nc.us/whs

Caldwell County wins
GRANITE FALLS — Caldwell’s Post 29 American Legion baseball team improved to 4-0 following its 6-3 win over Pineville Monday night at M.S. Deal Stadium.

Former Watauga standout Adam Church went 1-for-3 and was hit by a pitch for Caldwell. Current East Tennessee State player and former Watauga first baseman Trey Dunnigan went 2-for-4 with an RBI, also for Caldwell. Caldwell stranded 13 runners on base, eight in scoring position.

Ethan Ford and Jake Benfield each went 2-or-4 for Caldwell County. Caleb Gratt allowed one hit and no runs in five innings pitched to pick up the win.

Basketball changes
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference approved changes to the format of the league’s men’s and women’s basketball tournament, beginning in 2012. As part of the new format, the men’s and women’s tournament will be held in the same city at separate venues but comparable venues for the opening round and quarterfinals.

The semifinals and finals of each tournament would be played in the same facility. The conference office will determine specifications for appropriate tournament venues. The change was voted on as part of the conference’s annual spring meetings, held May 26-29.

The current tournament format which features all 23 men’s and women’s teams at the same venue for five days will remain intact for the 2010 (Charlotte) and 2011 (Chattanooga, Tenn.) tournaments.

In addition to the changes for the basketball tournament, the league voted to implement an Officials Improvement Initiative for all conference sports. The Southern Conference also voted to extend the contract of commissioner John Iamarino three years through 2012.

Iamarino has been commissioner of the league since January 2006.