The Hawaii men’s basketball team is going dark.

For this weekend’s team-bonding retreat to Molokai, each member of the Rainbow Warriors will turn in his cell phone. The team departed Friday on three different flights to the Friendly Isle.

No calls, no texts, no mobile Internet. Even head coach Gib Arnold plans to be unreachable.

"There will be no phone service for anybody, including myself," Arnold said. "We’re going to turn them all in and stick them in a bag. It’ll be the first time for a lot of these guys camping, and probably the first time for a lot of these guys without text messaging every five minutes."

The coach isn’t sure how his technology-dependent players will adapt.

"We’ll see. That’s one reason why we’re doing it. See how the guys react and how they come together. But that’s probably what I’m looking forward to the most."

UH was to practice at Molokai High School’s gym "The Barn" at Ho‘olehua on Friday night — site of the Rainbow Warriors’ Dec. 15 game vs. Chaminade — then sleep there overnight before getting in another hoops session this morning.

Then it’s into the wilderness for some hunting and fishing with local guides. To cap things off, it’s team time around a bonfire tonight.

Freshman center Caleb Dressler, of Vancouver, Wash., is looking forward to getting to know his teammates a little better.

"When we play it’s a lot of just on-court time," he said. "When you build team chemistry, you’re trying to build togetherness. You don’t really get to know if Jace (point guard Tavita) has a sister or something like that. Or his personal life. This is a time where you can actually bond and do that kind of thing."

The only player not going is freshman Aaron Valdes, who hasn’t been cleared by the NCAA to play this season.

The team is scheduled to return on Sunday and will have a few days of practice next week to prepare for its exhibition against Hawaii Pacific on Friday.