Jericho Ilagan fondly recalls how he and his brother Jensen would play basketball back in their youth. They would go out in a small court just in front of their home, and everything else wouldn’t matter as they enjoyed the game.
“Lumaki kami ni Jensen naglalaro ng basketball. Yung bahay namin may half-court sa harap,” shared Jericho, who is also the Chief Operations Officer of the ASEAN Basketball League.
From those moments, dreams were born. And one of the things that Jericho and Jensen dreamed about was having their own basketball court –one that was not just set up on a sandlot or some other makeshift space; but an actual one.
Now, the two have realized that, as they have opened the Phenom Sports Center in San Isidro, Makati.
“Nakakatuwa na ngayon, meron ng Phenom, where everybody can play,” beamed Jericho after the ceremonial ribbon-cutting alongside Jensen in the sports center’s grand opening last October 22.
“Very fulfilling for someone who’s a basketball-loving person, for a basketball enthusiast,” said Jensen, on the other hand.
“This is a dream come true.”
Phenom isn’t just the typical basketball court. Jensen proudly shared that the “Phenom Sports Center will be the first complete athletic training facility,” as it has equipment that can help athletes improve.
A few members of the media were able to experience what Phenom can offer, from measuring the biometrics a la Draft Combine, to hitting the weights room, to undergoing drills made specifically for basketball.
There’s also a presence of a sports psychologist in the facility, whom athletes can easily approach for mental skills for enhanced performance, as sports psychology has proven to be a vital part of an athletes’ development.
“Actually, marami naman ding mga sports center in Metro Manila. Some have a basketball court, some have a gym, but this is the first facility where we can customize a program for you,” said Jensen.
“For example, you’re a basketball athlete. We can customize a program for you whereas to harness not only your skillset in basketball, but with strength and conditioning that a sports science trainer can provide you.”
But even if their dream has now come into fruition, Jensen made it known that they won’t be stopping there.
“Now our goal is to somewhat bring back to the community, whereas with this kind of facility, we’ll be able to train, develop, and produce athletes that would perform well not just in the collegiate level but also in the professional,” he said.
Phenom Sports Center is located at JM Business Center, Zanzibar Street, Barangay San Isidro, Makati.
