Rainbow Madness basketball event set for Saturday

The University of Hawai’i will kick off the college basketball season with “Rainbow Madness” on Saturday, Oct. 19, at SimpliFi Arena in the Stan Sheriff Center.

The free event, set to begin at 1 p.m., offers fans a first look at the 2024-2025 Rainbow Warrior and Rainbow Wahine basketball teams, along with an afternoon packed with competitions, prizes, and interactive activities.

Highlights of the event include:

• Player introductions from both the men’s and women’s rosters.

• A three-point contest and skills challenge, where players will represent fans, with prizes awarded if their player wins.

• A keiki dunk contest, judged by members of both teams.

• The popular Mystery Box promotion featuring two top prizes.

• A chance for fans to preview and choose seats for new season tickets.

• Free team posters and a closing autograph session with both squads.

The Rainbow Warriors, coming off back-to-back 20-win seasons, will feature a mix of returning players and new faces, with eight newcomers joining seven returnees. They’ll open their regular season in the OUTRIGGER Rainbow Classic on Nov. 8.

Meanwhile, the Rainbow Wahine, last season’s Big West regular-season champions, return 10 players and welcome five newcomers. They begin their season on the road against Portland on Nov. 7.

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