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Jul. 7—GRAND FORKS — Hatton-Northwood's Elizabeth Pinke and Grand Forks Central's Jacie Reardon drove to Bismarck together Monday ahead of practice for the North Dakota Lions All-Star Basketball Series.
There was plenty to talk about on the drive, considering the similar situations.
Both players had older siblings play in the event. Both players were physically dominant posts now making a last hurrah in the sport. Both players are a month and a half from becoming Montana State track and field throwing teammates.
"We talked about how we're going to laugh the whole game," Reardon said. "It's going to be funny to guard each other."
"I apologize in advance for some elbows," Pinke said.
This year's 50th annual North Dakota Lions All-Star Basketball Series tips off Wednesday, July 8, at the new Bavendick Center on the campus of Bismarck State College before shifting to Fargo South High School on Thursday, July 9.
The Division AA girls will face the Division A/B girls at 6 p.m. each night, followed by the Division AA boys taking on the Division A/B boys.
Pinke and Reardon trained summers together in the Grand Forks' throwing program and were basketball AAU teammates with North Dakota Attack. Their connected college choices, though, came mostly by chance.
"We joked about going to the same school (in college) and even talked about filling out recruiting forms for Montana State, but it was never serious," Pinke said.
Apart from a few moments at a summer team camp, this will be the first time Pinke and Reardon will play against each other in basketball.
"We've always competed against each other in track meets, but it never felt like competing," Reardon said. "(Track and field throwers) are kind of one big happy family. So it already feels like we have been teammates in a sense. It's going to be exciting to wear the same jersey, though."
Pinke is a two-time state discus champion and one-time state shot put champion. Reardon, meanwhile, won the triple crown at the 2026 state meet by placing first in all three throwing disciplines.
In basketball, Reardon, a 5-foot-11 forward, averaged 13.4 points and an EDC-best 13.0 rebounds per game. She broke the school's single-game rebounding record with 35 in a game.
Pinke, a 6-foot center, averaged 16.0 points per game and 14.1 rebounds. She finished her career with more than 1,200 points and 1,000 rebounds.
Pinke's brother Hunter Pinke, a former UND football player, played in the Lions all-star event, as did Jacie's sister Lauren Reardon, a UND women's basketball player.
"I'm super excited to get to play," Jacie said. "Every team has that one player you're scouting and now it's fun to be on one team. I'm excited to see how competitive it is. Playing with and against former AAU teammates, it's kind of a full-circle basketball moment."
Pinke said she's looking forward to representing her community and state one more time.
"The coaches told us it's the last time we rep our town," Pinke said. "For us, we're not going to a North Dakota college. We'll always be loyal to North Dakota, but we get to rep North Dakota one more time."
2026 LIONS ALL-STAR BASKETBALL ROSTERS
Division AA Boys — Carter Evanson, West Fargo Horace; Aiden Samek, West Fargo; Artie Carlow, Bismarck; Boston Cranston, Dickinson; Beckett Pfau, West Fargo; Jonathan Roubideaux, Bismarck Legacy; Camden Kraemer, Bismarck Century; Collin Williams, Fargo Davies; Corbyn Follingstad, Fargo South; Christian Benning, Bismarck St. Mary's; Colton Reinke, Fargo Davies; Joey Kraljic, Bismarck Century. Alternate: Brayden Delorme, Grand Forks Central.
Division AA Girls — Quinn Skari, Fargo Davies; Eve Knutson, Minot; Kinzy Welstad, Minot North; Fallon Passanante, Fargo Davies; Megan Dietz, Fargo Shanley; Abby Fosland, Bismarck Century; Mataya Messer, Bismarck St. Mary's; Reese Remz, Grand Forks Red River; Tameka Limvere, Fargo South; Addison Weigel, Bismarck Century; Mimi McAllister, Mandan; Jacie Reardon, Grand Forks Central. Alternates: Amy Jacobson, Grand Forks Red River; Elsie Becker, Fargo South; Nasra Nuur, Fargo Davies.
Division A-B Boys — Brody Lillemoen, Grafton; Marial Deng, Four Winds-Minnewaukan; Brayden Steffens, Wahpeton; Jaxon Reese, Killdeer; RaeShaun Earl, Hankinson; Braylen Schirado, Beulah; Reggie Rice, Grafton; Gage Hofmann, Medina-Pingree-Buchanan; Carson Quam, Shiloh Christian; Aiden Hanson, Central McLean; Teigen Earsley, Wilton-Wing; Sage Hanson, TGU-Granville. Alternates: Parker Jacobson, Washburn; Miken Mattson, Valley City; Cameron Cordero, Lisbon; Hunter Tolstad, Westhope-Newburg.
Division A-B Girls — Annabel Scheeler, Dickinson Trinity; Liza Trenbeath, Kindred; Cara Schlehr, Garrison; Addison Sage, Thompson; Emma Jones, Glenburn; Aubrey Kenner, Benson County; Taya Aufforth, Kenmare; Kya Hurst, Thompson; Aubree Jeanotte, Turtle Mountain; Cheryl Hayes, Tioga; Skotti Beck, South Prairie-Max; Elizabeth Pinke, Hatton-Northwood. Alternates: Kelsey Johnson, Griggs-Midkota; Jada Ottmar, GC/Mott-Regent; Presley Brown, Devils Lake; Brianna Rose, South Prairie-Max; Emberlyn Poitra, Turtle Mountain.
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There was plenty to talk about on the drive, considering the similar situations.
Both players had older siblings play in the event. Both players were physically dominant posts now making a last hurrah in the sport. Both players are a month and a half from becoming Montana State track and field throwing teammates.
"We talked about how we're going to laugh the whole game," Reardon said. "It's going to be funny to guard each other."
"I apologize in advance for some elbows," Pinke said.
This year's 50th annual North Dakota Lions All-Star Basketball Series tips off Wednesday, July 8, at the new Bavendick Center on the campus of Bismarck State College before shifting to Fargo South High School on Thursday, July 9.
The Division AA girls will face the Division A/B girls at 6 p.m. each night, followed by the Division AA boys taking on the Division A/B boys.
Pinke and Reardon trained summers together in the Grand Forks' throwing program and were basketball AAU teammates with North Dakota Attack. Their connected college choices, though, came mostly by chance.
"We joked about going to the same school (in college) and even talked about filling out recruiting forms for Montana State, but it was never serious," Pinke said.
Apart from a few moments at a summer team camp, this will be the first time Pinke and Reardon will play against each other in basketball.
"We've always competed against each other in track meets, but it never felt like competing," Reardon said. "(Track and field throwers) are kind of one big happy family. So it already feels like we have been teammates in a sense. It's going to be exciting to wear the same jersey, though."
Pinke is a two-time state discus champion and one-time state shot put champion. Reardon, meanwhile, won the triple crown at the 2026 state meet by placing first in all three throwing disciplines.
In basketball, Reardon, a 5-foot-11 forward, averaged 13.4 points and an EDC-best 13.0 rebounds per game. She broke the school's single-game rebounding record with 35 in a game.
Pinke, a 6-foot center, averaged 16.0 points per game and 14.1 rebounds. She finished her career with more than 1,200 points and 1,000 rebounds.
Pinke's brother Hunter Pinke, a former UND football player, played in the Lions all-star event, as did Jacie's sister Lauren Reardon, a UND women's basketball player.
"I'm super excited to get to play," Jacie said. "Every team has that one player you're scouting and now it's fun to be on one team. I'm excited to see how competitive it is. Playing with and against former AAU teammates, it's kind of a full-circle basketball moment."
Pinke said she's looking forward to representing her community and state one more time.
"The coaches told us it's the last time we rep our town," Pinke said. "For us, we're not going to a North Dakota college. We'll always be loyal to North Dakota, but we get to rep North Dakota one more time."
2026 LIONS ALL-STAR BASKETBALL ROSTERS
Division AA Boys — Carter Evanson, West Fargo Horace; Aiden Samek, West Fargo; Artie Carlow, Bismarck; Boston Cranston, Dickinson; Beckett Pfau, West Fargo; Jonathan Roubideaux, Bismarck Legacy; Camden Kraemer, Bismarck Century; Collin Williams, Fargo Davies; Corbyn Follingstad, Fargo South; Christian Benning, Bismarck St. Mary's; Colton Reinke, Fargo Davies; Joey Kraljic, Bismarck Century. Alternate: Brayden Delorme, Grand Forks Central.
Division AA Girls — Quinn Skari, Fargo Davies; Eve Knutson, Minot; Kinzy Welstad, Minot North; Fallon Passanante, Fargo Davies; Megan Dietz, Fargo Shanley; Abby Fosland, Bismarck Century; Mataya Messer, Bismarck St. Mary's; Reese Remz, Grand Forks Red River; Tameka Limvere, Fargo South; Addison Weigel, Bismarck Century; Mimi McAllister, Mandan; Jacie Reardon, Grand Forks Central. Alternates: Amy Jacobson, Grand Forks Red River; Elsie Becker, Fargo South; Nasra Nuur, Fargo Davies.
Division A-B Boys — Brody Lillemoen, Grafton; Marial Deng, Four Winds-Minnewaukan; Brayden Steffens, Wahpeton; Jaxon Reese, Killdeer; RaeShaun Earl, Hankinson; Braylen Schirado, Beulah; Reggie Rice, Grafton; Gage Hofmann, Medina-Pingree-Buchanan; Carson Quam, Shiloh Christian; Aiden Hanson, Central McLean; Teigen Earsley, Wilton-Wing; Sage Hanson, TGU-Granville. Alternates: Parker Jacobson, Washburn; Miken Mattson, Valley City; Cameron Cordero, Lisbon; Hunter Tolstad, Westhope-Newburg.
Division A-B Girls — Annabel Scheeler, Dickinson Trinity; Liza Trenbeath, Kindred; Cara Schlehr, Garrison; Addison Sage, Thompson; Emma Jones, Glenburn; Aubrey Kenner, Benson County; Taya Aufforth, Kenmare; Kya Hurst, Thompson; Aubree Jeanotte, Turtle Mountain; Cheryl Hayes, Tioga; Skotti Beck, South Prairie-Max; Elizabeth Pinke, Hatton-Northwood. Alternates: Kelsey Johnson, Griggs-Midkota; Jada Ottmar, GC/Mott-Regent; Presley Brown, Devils Lake; Brianna Rose, South Prairie-Max; Emberlyn Poitra, Turtle Mountain.
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