About 10 hours after the fun and games of Twilight 'Ohana was over, the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team woke up to the reality of a true first practice yesterday.

"(Friday) night was fun, but this got us in the mindset real quick that it's back to work now," senior guard Matt Lojeski said after yesterday's three-hour morning practice in sauna-like Gym II.

The Rainbow Warriors were introduced to the public on Friday night. Yesterday, they were introduced to the basics of head coach Riley Wallace's offensive and defensive schemes.

"The offense and defense still has to come together as a team," Wallace said. "You have the whole and the parts. You show them the whole offense, but right now, you have to break it down into parts so that they can execute different sets within the offense.

"Defensively, it's the same thing. You want each guy to learn his part to make the whole team defense work."

Wallace said he has an idea of where certain players will fit in this season, but added that all five starting positions are open right now.

"The guys coming back from last year will be ahead at this point, obviously, so that gives you an idea," Wallace said. "But things will change as we go along."

Lojeski was a good example from last season. As a junior college transfer, he was new to the Hawai'i system. But by the opening game, he was in the starting lineup.

"I just have to do the same thing I did last year, and that's work hard every day," he said. "I know I don't have a (starting) spot right now, but I have to treat it like it's mine."

Another senior, guard John Wilder, has a similar outlook. He was also a junior college transfer last season, but saw limited action in games.

"I had a hard time learning the offense last year, and I never found my niche," he said. "I'm a lot more comfortable this year, and I feel like everything is flowing."

Wallace said he is encouraging some of the veteran players like Wilder to observe several positions during the first few weeks of practice.

"Wilder is one of our better defenders, and that's the kind of thing that will get him in the game," Wallace said. "So I told him to learn different positions so he can come in and be ready to fill a spot."

For the newcomers, it is still a matter of adapting to practices on the NCAA Division I level.

"I feel like I'm getting used to things pretty fast," freshman point guard Todd Lowenthal said. "But it's a lot more challenging, physically and mentally."

Lowenthal is the only true freshman on the roster this season, so he was still excited about being a part of the festivities of the Twilight 'Ohana on Friday.

"That was exciting; I've never been a part of anything like that," he said. "I was more nervous about dressing up (in a Halloween costume) than anything else."

WIN WAS NO SLAM DUNK

Lojeski won the team's slam-dunk contest for the second consecutive year on Friday night with a dunk he said he never practiced.

On the winning dunk, teammate Wilder lobbed a pass from the stands of the Stan Sheriff Center onto the court. The ball bounced once, and Lojeski grabbed it in mid-air and slammed it in.

"John just came up to me and said he could throw me a pass from the seats, so I said OK," Lojeski said. "We never practiced it, so I was kind of surprised we pulled it off."

However, Lojeski is still waiting for his reward.

"I'm still waiting for my trophy," he said. "I didn't get one last year or this year."

NOTES

Deonte Tatum, the starting point guard on last season's team, will be a student assistant coach this season.

Kea Smith, younger brother of assistant coach Alika Smith, is the team manager this season.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.