CHANGSHA – Jordan coach Rajko Toroman, the man at the helm in Team Phl’s semifinal finish in Wuhan in 2011, sees a clear path to the gold-medal game for Gilas Pilipinas in the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship knockout stage.
Toroman had earlier said the host squad is the team to beat in the tourney with its home court advantage.
The Serbian coach was expecting the Filipino to win their Final Four matchup with the Lebanese and also their Final Four game either against the Qataris or the Japanese.
“They have an open way to the finals,” said Toroman, believing Gilas got a good break in avoiding a playoff bracket with Iran and China.
“If they beat Lebanon, which I expected they can do, after that there is Qatar or Japan. The way to the finals is very clear for them,” he insisted.
Toroman and his Jordan team missed the Final Eight in dropping their last assignment in the group matches against Lebanon.
Before handing the original Gilas program, Toroman ran a successful program that sent Iran to the Olympics in 2008.
Toroman steered the Iranians to the FIBA Asia title conquest in Tokushima in 2007.