MANSFIELD — The Loudonville girls basketball team has an Energizer Bunny in its midst.
Nikki Weber is only 5-foot-6, but her continuous motor and relentless approach are hard to miss when watching the Redbirds. That includes a number of folks, because seemingly every girls basketball fan in north central Ohio is well aware of Webber, this week’s Richland Bank Athlete of the Week.
Weber poured in 25 points, grabbed 7 rebounds and handed out 7 assists as the ‘Birds bounced East Knox 64-32 last week at the Mansfield Christian Holiday Showcase..
“Nikki just has that kind of motor,” said Loudonville coach Tyler Bates. “You better be ready to go hard for 32 minutes because she’s going to be coming at you for 32 minutes.”
Weber is the daughter of former Loudonville football star Dan Weber. Papa Weber was an All-Ohio football player and two-way standout on the Redbirds state runner-up team in 1990.
Nikki is proving the athletic genes are in good hands. Much like her father, she’s undersized but solidly built with desire trumping her physical limitations.
Last winter she averaged 14 points per game as a freshman starter on the basketball team. In the fall she was a first-team All-Ohio soccer player. Now she’s averaging 25 points, 8 rebounds, 8 steals and just over 6 assists per game, according to her coach.
Her energy has fueled Loudonville 7-1 start to this season.
“I didn’t know how good we were going to be but in the scrimmages it was like, ‘Wow, we can do some damage,’ ” Weber said.
The Redbirds have done just that. Utilizing a pressure defense with a variety of traps, Bates aims to get his girls into the open floor. He’s got the perfect leader to spearhead that approach.
“We are much more balanced than we have been in the past,” Bates said. “We have three or four kids that can get double figures, and if one of them steps up, you know Nikki is going to get hers.”
It’s been a fun recipe, and one the Redbirds are looking to ride through the Mid-Buckeye Conference campaign.
