The format for the 24th Annual 'Iolani Prep Classic has changed, but the nationally renowned boys basketball tournament will still feature its tradition of showcasing Mainland powerhouses.

The 16-team Division I tournament begins today with the usual matchups of Hawai'i teams vs. Mainland/foreign opponents: Roosevelt will face Mount Vernon (N.Y.) at 3:30 p.m., followed by Leilehua vs. Mason County (Maysville, Ky.) at 5, Saint Louis vs. Rice (New York) at 6:30 and 'Iolani vs. Ji Lin (China) at 8.

Tomorrow, it will be Baldwin vs. Arlington Country Day (Jacksonville, Fla.) at 3:30 p.m., followed by Moanalua vs. defending champion LeFlore (Mobile, Ala.) at 5, Mid-Pacific vs. Westchester (Los Angeles) at 6:30 and Kalaheo vs. Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.) at 8.

Today's and tomorrow's losers will face each other in Thursday's consolation bracket, and the first two days' winners will face each other that same day with two exceptions: Saint Louis will play Ji Lin at 11 a.m. and 'Iolani will face Rice at 5 p.m., regardless of today's outcomes.

The last four matchups for Friday and Saturday also have been pre-set, with LeFlore facing Westchester at 3:30 p.m. Friday, followed by Arlington Country Day vs. Montrose Christian at 5, 'Iolani vs. Mount Vernon at 6:30 and Mason County vs. Rice at 8.

On Saturday, it will be 'Iolani vs. Mason County at 3:30 p.m., Arlington Country Day vs. Westchester at 5, Mount Vernon vs. Rice at 6:30 and LeFlore vs. Montrose Christian at 8.

"It will be more like pool play," said 'Iolani co-athletic director Eddie Maruyama.

Tournament director Glenn Young said the change is due to New York and Kentucky state association rules that prohibit their teams from competing against schools that are not members of their own state associations. Montrose Christian, as a private school, is not part of the Maryland Secondary School Athletic Association.

"That rule was always there, but it's never happened in our brackets where we had to re-arrange all the matchups," Young said. "But this year, it was unavoidable."

With two teams from New York and one from Kentucky, Young said it was very possible that at least one of them would have eventually been pitted against Montrose Christian in a traditional winners' bracket.

There still will be the usual clashes between national powers.

Four of the teams are ranked in USA Today's Super 25 released yesterday: Montrose Christian is No. 6, Rice is No. 10, LeFlore is No. 14 and Mount Vernon is No. 15. Also, Westchester is No. 6 in USA Today's West Region rankings.

The field again features some of the top individual players in the country. Demarcus Cousins, a 6-foot-11 center for LeFlore, is regarded by some as the nation's best junior.

Rice senior Kemba Walker has been rated as one of the top five point guards in the country and has committed to play for the University of Connecticut.

Mason County forward Darius Miller has signed with Kentucky.

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.

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