The distinct squeaking sound of sneakers on hardwood. The rhythmic thump, thump, thump of a ball striking the court. And above it all, the occasional shouts of frantic coaches.

That’s the montage of sound from outside a typical Hawaii men’s basketball practice. In the past few days, the decibels rose to a crescendo.

"That’s the buzz around here. We’re just excited to start off something new," junior guard Garrett Jefferson said.

After a 16-16 record and a whiff on postseason play in its last season in the Western Athletic Conference, it’s time for the curtain to go up on 2012-13 and the Big West.

UH’s opening performance is tonight in the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic against Maryland-Eastern Shore of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The other two teams in the round-robin tournament, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Houston Baptist, play each other at 4:30 p.m.

Up to nine players could appear in an official game for the first time tonight for newly cast UH, but the Rainbow Warriors’ top returnee is the biggest unknown. Senior center Vander Joaquim has played full-contact in practices this week coming off his preseason right MCL injury, but his availability is still not a given for tonight and subsequent games on Sunday and Monday.

Junior forward Christian Standhardinger, who had 20 points and 15 rebounds in last week’s 75-67 exhibition win over Hawaii Pacific, is a guaranteed go for three games in four days.

"I waited now one year. I’ll be the last one to complain about too many games," the Nebraska transfer said. "If there’s two games in a day, I’ll gladly take that, too. … I finally can play basketball, again."

Senior point guard Jace Tavita (Utah) and junior combo guard Brandon Spearman (Dayton) are also making returns to Division I hoops after protracted layoffs.

A possible starting lineup is Tavita, Spearman, Hauns Brereton, Standhardinger and freshman forward Isaac Fotu. Joaquim, if he plays, could start or come off the bench in a limited role. On Thursday, Arnold sounded encouraged on his progress but said he’d be a game-day decision through the weekend.

"It’s an important week in that it’s a week where we’ve gotta learn quickly who we are," Arnold said. "We gotta find out where our strengths are, and play to our strengths. Even more importantly, we have to find out where our weaknesses are and spend the time on the practice floor and the film room on getting those better."

Maryland-Eastern Shore, too, is rebuilt. The Hawks went 7-23 last year, averaging only 59.5 points per game, one of the worst marks in Division I. They lost both double-figure scorers from that team.

But they have size. The Hawks can play two towering Nigerians together in 6-11 senior Olatunji Kosile and 6-10 junior Francis Ezeiru. Two others are 6-9.

Sixth-year coach Frankie Allen and his team arrived after enduring Superstorm Sandy and its snowy aftermath.

"It’s a good opportunity for us to come out here and tip off the season," Allen said. "We caught some of that (bad weather). All of our guys this morning … were taking pictures and sending them to all the students back there of the beach and the warm weather. They got all this rain and cold and snow up there."

The ‘Bows entered the weekend without any scout footage of their tourney opponents, except from last year.

"I haven’t heard much about them, but they’re here and they’re Division I teams, so they have to be pretty good," Jefferson said. "We have to be ready for them and ready to play."