After two weeks of practice, the head coach of the Rainbow Wahine basketball team is still tinkering with a starting five.

"We don't know yet," said Goo, who begins his 17th season.

In keeping with the theme, Hawai'i held its first intrasquad scrimmage with referees yesterday and placed returning starters — forward Jade Abele and guard April Atuaia — on opposite teams for the majority of the practice.

The absence of a starting lineup adds mystery to a team seeking an identity with 11 underclassmen, two juniors and one senior.

Hawai'i, picked to finish fourth in the 10-team Western Athletic Conference this season, hopes to solve that mystery with an uptempo style and platoon system that will rotate players every five minutes for most of the game.

Goo said he has a group of players who can compete interchangeably without a big dropoff.

"We got 10 to 12 people who are very close in ability," Goo said. "We don't have people far ahead of others, regardless if they're juniors or seniors, compared to freshmen. So why not go to that platoon-type system?"

The system might mean less playing time for veterans, but Atuaia said she didn't mind.

"I think it's a good way to get everybody involved, especially the freshmen," Atuaia said. "I like it. Everybody gets to play. Everybody gets to rest. Playing time doesn't matter as long as we get a W."

Goo said he hoped the platoon system would enhance the Rainbow Wahine's running game.

"If you're platooning, you're going to have a lot of people playing for five minutes, getting a good rest and going back in," Goo said. "So why not play uptempo and put the wear on the other team?"

Abele said the running game is taylor-made for the Rainbow Wahine.

"We're a lot smaller this year," Abele said. "We don't have the 6-foot-5, 6-foot-3 strong (Natasja Allen) or (Christen Roper) inside. I think this running game is really going to suit us."

Abele scored 17 points in yesterday's scrimmage followed by freshmen guards Bryony Crouch (15, 5 3-pointers) and Janevia Taylor (14), and Atuaia (12), freshman center Brittany Grice (8) and sophomore center Callie Spooner (8).

"I think we showed a lot of good spurts at times on offense and defense today," Goo said. "Our No. 1 objective today was to show mental toughness. I think we answered a lot of that today."