The only costumes the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team will be wearing next Friday will be their practice jerseys.

For the first time in 20 years, there will be no festivities this year to accompany the opening day of practice for the Rainbow Warriors.

Oct. 17 is the first day NCAA teams can start full practices for the 2008-09 season, and the 'Bows plan to do just that — practice.

"Just a straight practice — no slam-dunk contest, no scrimmage, nothing like that," Hawai'i head coach Bob Nash said. "For what I'm trying to get done with all the new guys on this team, I need every minute to coach them, so I would rather use the time for a good, hard practice."

The "Midnight 'Ohana" concept started in 1988, with the team being introduced to the public at midnight. It was switched to "Twilight 'Ohana" in 2005, for an earlier start and finish.

For those 20 years, the 'Bows would come out in Halloween costumes before participating in an intrasquad scrimmage as well as slam-dunk and 3-point contests.

"I'm not trying to disenfranchise the fans in any way," Nash said. "I hope they understand that we're in a situation where we don't have much time to get ready for the season, and so we need to get ready in a hurry."

What's more, Nash said there are plans for public festivities later this season.

The 'Bows are scheduled to play exhibition games at the Stan Sheriff Center against Hawai'i-Hilo on Nov. 2, and then Chaminade on Nov. 7.

Nash said there will probably be an autograph/photo opportunity for the fans at one of those exhibition games.

He added that there could be a "Midnight 'Ohana-type of thing" for the Nov. 17 home game against Idaho State. That game is scheduled to start at 11 p.m. and will be televised nationally on ESPN.

"I think there are other teams around the nation getting away from the midnight deals and getting back toward more traditional practices," Nash said. "But we will have activities for our fans during the season."

At last year's Twilight 'Ohana, freshman recruit Ji Xiang from China sustained a knee injury that kept him out the entire season. He is on the active roster this season.

"You had Ji's injury last year, and my feeling is that the guys this year are not ready to run up and down and play a scrimmage," Nash said. "And that's where you could get guys hurt and we certainly don't want to see anything like that again."

This year's UH roster includes five new scholarship recruits, including touted junior college transfer Roderick Flemings. There are no seniors on this year's 15-player roster.

Junior forward Bill Amis is the only returning starter from last season's team that finished with an 11-19 record.