YOUNG ONCE BLOG

Caelan Tiongson filming the docuseries Young Once in August 2018.

Caelan Tiongson recently filmed season two of the docuseries Young Once which co-stars his former girlfriend Cassie Randolph. Days following production, Cassie joined 30 women competing on this season’s The Bachelorwhile Caelan moved overseas to play professional basketball in the Philippines. The story of their on-again off-again relationship will play out for audiences beginning February 4th, when Young Once season two begins streaming on Castle (intothecastle.com).

1. His spiritual mentor is Andre Murillo, who is married to singer Tori Kelly.

Caelan met Andre while trying out as a ‘walk-on’ for Biola University’s basketball team. Andre was team captain at the time and was so impressed with Caelan’s play that he asked the coach to secure him a roster spot. Andre has since been a spiritual mentor and big-brother to Caelan offering him advice on love and life from a Biblical perspective. The pair became so tight that Andre even delayed his wedding with Tori so that Caelan, who was playing basketball in China, could attend and be in his wedding party. Andre will appear with Caelan in February’s release of Young Once.

2. He’s a Fil-American basketball star.

Born to a Filipino father and an American mother, Caelan stands at 6’5, and plays professional basketball in the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL). “The Filipino crowd is the best crowd in the world,” Tiongson told Dugout Philippines. “It’s fun to play here.” The 26-year-old Biola University alumnus is known as a “go-to defensive stopper” and has signed a two-year contract with San Miguel Alab Pilipinas. They are currently in first place in the ABL.

3. He was a Mormon but is now a practicing Christian.

After living the ‘party life’ for much of his teen years, Caelan knew his life needed to change and was drawn to the Mormon church because of a friend who lived a “straight-edge lifestyle”. A year into practicing Mormonism, Caelan began questioning his beliefs. “I thought being religious was just being a better person, ” he shares. “The quote that stuck out to me is that (Jesus) came for the sick not the healthy…I began reading the Gospels over and over again and decided, I’m going to be a Christ follower.” He then attended a church service and “while hearing the song Lead Me to The Cross, I just remember breaking down in tears and realizing I am actually a Christian.”

4. He dated “The Bachelor” contestant Cassie Randolph.

Caelan and Cassie met and began dating while both were attending Biola University. Caelan remembers hanging out in one of the dorms and upon seeing Cassie, he told a friend, “I’m going to date that girl.” Shortly after, the two became a couple. This past summer he described their relationship as “really, really, really, complicated.” His favorite movie genre is romantic comedy and says, “If my love story could mirror a romcom, I would like that. Running through the airport… That’d be great.”

5. His grandma is his best friend.

Caelan has a unique and special bond with his grandma, Cj. While he’s overseas they talk on the phone twice a day! With an absent father, Caelan’s grandma helped raise him and as his biggest fan, she never misses a game, which means regularly waking up at 2 am to stream his basketball games. Local media wrote an article about Grandma Cj when she came to watch Caelan play in China. “(Courtside) you can notice one energetic elderly lady rooting for the team like it’s Game 7 of the NBA Finals… Her voice had gone hoarse after passionately rooting for her grandson…she couldn’t talk.” Caelan describes her as “an impossible Grandma not to love.”

Watch Caelan in Young Once Season 2, streaming exclusively on Castle starting February 4th, 2019. (www.intothecastle.com)