TAHJAE Ordonio, 6-foot-3 son of former PBA Fil-American cager Jon Ordonio, has committed to the College of St. Benilde for NCAA Season 100.
Tahjae Ordonio commits to College of St. Benilde
In his 2021-22 campaign with California-based Gavilan College Rams, the young winger delivered 16.5 points on 45.7% shooting (35.8% from three-point range) in 27 matches played.
Later that year, Ordonio was named Student-Athlete of the Year as a concurrent dean's lister with an accumulative GPA of 3.3 (4.0 in the Fall semester).
Tahjae also used to be high school and college teammates with his older brother Kobe.
Jon Ordonio and the 1999 'Fil-Sham' controversy
His father, Jon, was a top PBA draft pick who played six seasons in the pro league in the early 2000s, playing for Pop Cola, Alaska and Red Bull before leaving the country amid questions about his citizenship.
Tahjae was born in the Philippines before leaving for the US with his dad and brother.
New beginnings in PH for young Ordonio
As he soon sets foot in the Philippines where his father played pro, Tahjae is expected to lead six current committals to the reigning NCAA silver medalists.
These include Immaculada Concepcion College's Roger Ondoa and Ian Torres, San Joaquin Delta College's Matthew Oli, Iloilo's Irele Galas and Cagayan de Oro's Jeric Canete.
With key departures led by Will Gozum heading Benilde's way at the end of Season 99, head coach Charles Tiu already has his sights set on a competitive long-term future for the school's seniors basketball program.
"It's a challenge we've never encountered before, where there is now an abundance of players vying for the same position. It's a favorable challenge, better than lacking options. They will need to compete for their spots, as we also have a surplus of players," said Tiu.
"Our primary focus remains on the upcoming season that is about to commence in a month or so. We still have a substantial amount of work to accomplish, and our consistency remains an issue," he added.
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