In yet another setback, the Hawaii basketball team will be without head coach Eran Ganot for an indefinite period.

Ganot will miss at least this weekend’s season-opening Outrigger Resorts Rainbow Classic with an undisclosed medical condition. School officials announced he was placed on “temporary medical leave of absence.” It is not known if this situation is related to the painful back condition Ganot has suffered for more than a year.

“Although it pains me to leave this team, there are certain health issues that I need to address,” Ganot said in a statement circulated to the media. “I have a plan, and I will return.”

Chris Gerlufsen, who joined the Rainbow Warriors during the Labor Day weekend, will serve as interim head coach.

“It’s a range of emotions, obviously,” Gerlufsen said. “I think everyone is processing it in different ways. But I think at the end of the day, the basketball floor has to be our getaway. That has to be the place where we can lose ourselves in the game. It’s going to be hard to be without Coach, but we owe it to ourselves and to the fans and to the school to get ready to play.”

It has been a difficult offseason for the ’Bows. Jack Purchase, Brocke Stepteau and Sheriff Drammeh completed their eligibility at the end of the 2018-19 season. Leland Green and Brandon Thomas transferred. Junior Madut’s eligibility waiver was not approved until mid-September, delaying his enrollment until the 2020 spring semester. Ahmed Ali, a transfer from Washington State, withdrew from UH because of a medical condition. In August, associate head coach Adam Jacobsen resigned to accept a coaching job at Cal Baptist. Gerlufsen, who was a top assistant and recruiter at San Diego, succeeded Jacobsen. Three weeks ago, point guard Drew Buggs’ mother died. And then on Tuesday, Ganot notified the coaches and then players he would be going on leave.

“It’s been an eventful preseason, for sure,” Buggs said. “Our team motto is: ‘no excuses.’ We won’t let this affect us. We’re going to deal with it the best we can, and to continue to move on, and make no excuses.”

The roles will remain intact. Gerlufsen is considered to be the ’Bows’ offensive coordinator. John Montgomery is in charge of the defense.

“It’s going to be a challenge, but we’re going to figure out a way to get it done,” Gerlufsen said. “I don’t run from challenges or adversity. Some of the best things have been done with adverse situations.”

Gerlufsen was hired to assume Jacobsen’s responsibilities of calling the offense, recruiting and scouting. Beon Ja Riley, a 6-foot-6, 230-pound guard who made an oral commitment to UH this week, credited Gerlufsen as being his point recruiter.

Ganot and Gerlufsen grew up on the East Coast — Ganot in New Jersey, Gerlufsen in Philadelphia — and share similar coaching ideas and styles.

“I’m going to be myself, and give the best version of myself to the guys,” Gerlufsen said. “I’m ultra, ultra competitive. Off the floor, I have a way different personality than I do on the floor. When the ball goes up in the air, I’m going to try to do whatever I can to win. I have a hard time with losing. I think I relate well to the players. I value the whole relationship piece.”