News

New Canaan Basketball Tops Hatters 56-34 

By |

After losing three starters to Covid-19 protocol and subsequently losing a 48-40 tilt Monday night against McMahon, New Canaan basketball head coach Danny Melzer was looking for a quick response from his team Thursday afternoon at Danbury High School. Melzer received all of that and more. The Rams came out of the gates strong and never looked back, scoring the first 15 points of the contest in a 56-34 win over the Hatters. 

“We got off to a great start and we never let up,” Melzer told NewCanaanite.com. “I love the little things we did. Making shots is awesome but that comes and goes.

Homepage Featured

Bounceback: New Canaan Girls Basketball Tops Wilton 57-23

By |

Four days ago the New Canaan High School girls basketball team struggled offensively, scoring 24 points in a loss to Trumbull. 

Saturday afternoon against Wilton the Rams almost matched that total in the first quarter alone en route to a 57-23 blowout win over the Warriors. “The girls showed up to play today,” New Canaan head coach Kim Palmer said. “Everybody had an impact and it’s great to see that, when you can get a real true team win. We shot well and one of the things I’m most proud of is that we took care of the ball. Turnovers have been our Achilles Heel this year and today we were able to control the ball and make smart decisions.”

A dozen New Canaan players landed in the scoring column, led by Junior Meghan Driscoll who had 12 points, all on three-pointers.

Footer Featured Widget

Rams Rout Trumbull, Improve to 3-0

By |

After two inconsistent performances in wins over Ludlowe and Greenwich, the third time was definitely the charm for the New Canaan High School boys basketball team. The Rams put together a relentless performance over 32 minutes in a 55-36 road win Tuesday night over Trumbull. “We played really, really well in spurts and were certainly more consistent than we were in the first two games,” New Canaan head coach Danny Melzer said. “I think there’s room for improvement and the best part is our kids feel the same way. They’re not satisfied.”

New Canaan never trailed in the contest and led by as much as 26 in the win.

Footer Featured Widget

‘It’s Trending Upwards’: New Canaan Boys Basketball a Perennial Playoff Contender

By |

Shortly after a 25-point win over Greenwich last week in a scrimmage, someone asked New Canaan basketball head coach Danny Melzer what he thought of the Rams’ performance. “I told them how I thought we did OK and how things could have gone a little better,” Melzer said. “They said, ‘Jeez, didn’t you win by 25? You’re being picky about a 25-point win?’ And it hit me that in my first year when we went 4-and-16 I had to find different things to celebrate in losses. And now we have done a 180 and we are being picky in wins.”

It’s not just this change in attitude that encapsulates just how far the Rams have come since Melzer took over the program four years ago.

Cameron Murphy

‘I Forgot How Much I Missed Coaching’: Palmer Returns to Lead NCHS Girls Basketball in 2021

By |

Just when Kim Palmer thought she was out, they pulled her back in. Absent from the New Canaan High School girls basketball sidelines since stepping down in 2017, Palmer is back at the helm of the Rams. 

Palmer—a Phys Ed teacher at NCHS and two-time FCIAC Coach of the Year—takes over for John Winchester, who departed last month after leading New Canaan to two consecutive CIAC playoff appearances in three seasons as head coach. “I was actually in the gym teaching PE,” Palmer said. “We had a half-day, so classes were shortened and kids were just shooting baskets and I was shooting with them. Jay Egan came in and said ‘I think you should be coaching again’ as I was shooting a basket.