A suddenly spry center and a cautious coach had two wildly different answers to the same basic question.

Is Vander Joaquim playing in the Hawaii basketball team’s 2012-13 regular-season opener on Friday?

"For sure, for sure, unless something goes wrong again. I’ll be ready to play, yeah," said Joaquim, the Rainbow Warriors’ top returnee, on Monday after some of his first full contact of the preseason. He declared himself at "97 percent" health.

The 6-foot-10 Angolan went down with a right MCL tear in a late September workout. He was issued a four- to six-week timetable on a return.

UH coach Gib Arnold was pleased to see Joaquim back in action but sounded hesitant at the prospect of his preseason All-Big West center playing in the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic — three games in four days.

Or even a single game.

"Possible," Arnold said of Joaquim’s status. "He’s coming along. But as of right now I’m not planning on playing him.

"We’re limiting it and observing it. And he’s out of shape … I thought he looked good under the circumstances. I think he’s not nearly where he needs to be yet. A little bit slow, a little bit tentative, as expected. But just seeing him out there was good."

After the 75-68 exhibition win over Hawaii Pacific last Friday —in which Joaquim did not suit up — UH team practices are closed to the media again this week. Thus, it was difficult to directly gauge Joaquim’s progress.

Joaquim acknowledged he was still feeling his way back.

"Just hesitating a little bit, trying to be careful. Kind of slowing down … I’m looking forward to going full strength in the games," he said.

Joaquim averaged 14.3 points and 9.5 rebounds last season.