The University of Hawaii basketball team is focused on opening the 2020 season in November, but there are contingency plans mapped in if the starting date is delayed.

“We’re prepared for any situation,” UH coach Eran Ganot said. “There’s dealing with facts and there’s dealing with speculation. The facts right now are we have a season for college basketball starting Nov. 11.”

As leagues across the country are postponing their football seasons because of the pandemic, the Big West, of which UH is a member, is evaluating what to do with so-called winter sports, such as basketball. The Ivy League and Pac-12 Conference already announced they will not compete in sports this fall. The Rainbow Warriors are set to open on Nov. 11 against Washington State on the first day of the Rainbow Classic.

“We’ll be ready in either scenario,” Ganot said. “We’re operating like this is a moving target and we’re constantly pivoting. Until they tell us otherwise, we’re preparing for November. If something happens, we’ll adjust.”

The date of the season opener affects the workout cycle. The NCAA allows three six-week cycles preceding the start of the season. The ’Bows are nearing the end of the first cycle that allows a team to conduct eight hours each week of strength/conditioning training and on-court workouts. The next cycle begins Aug. 24, the first day of UH’s fall semester. The ’Bows are permitted to start preseason training on Sept. 30. During this 42-day period, the Warriors are permitted 30 practice days, with a limit of 20 hours each week for basketball-related meetings and training.

Ganot said the ’Bows are on the “Road to 15” — the process of having all 15 players competing in in-person workouts. This past week, 11 of the players participated. Each met health and safety protocols. Four international players are scheduled to arrive in town this week.

Ganot said the workouts on campus have been “fundamental” and have been in accordance with state, NCAA and UH guidelines on safety standards and social distancing. The players wear masks while training in the weight room. For on-court workouts, each player has his own ball, and the coaches are wearing gloves. “Everybody is wearing masks,” Ganot said. “We’re always sanitizing.”

The ’Bows also have increased the number of breaks during the workouts.

“We’re all working together and treating this as a phasing process,” Ganot said. “It’s not going to be zero-to-100 in day one. We’re learning together. We’re taking it slow. And we’re trying to slowly progress as we go.”

He said the players who have yet to arrive are continuing training on their own while following video programs produced by the coaching staff. Ganot said the athletic department has been helpful with academic schedules and training support.

“We have a lot of moving parts,” Ganot said. “It’s been a puzzle that a lot of people have had a great attitude about in finding a way to navigate together.”