It all started with a dream and a vision for basketball-loving brothers Jericho and Jensen Ilagan, who have carved their niche in Philippine basketball through different capacities.
While Jericho has become one of the more prominent basketball leaders in the country as COO of the Asean Basketball League the past three years, Jensen is one of the trailblazers of the recreational basketball circuit in Metro Manila as chief organizer of the Next 5 Hoops tournament.
About the only thing missing for the brothers is their own basketball facility.
The brothers finally opened Phenom Sports Center along Zaldivar St. in Makati City recently, fulfilling not just a dream they nurtured a decade ago, but also providing a facility for professional and recreational players.
“Any basketball enthusiast dreams of having an own facility,” said Jensen.
“This is our story. Ten years ago, two basketball loving brothers dreamt of having their own facility and now that we have this type of facility, the goal and the vision is to be able to help the basketball community in a way that we would be able to train and develop and produce professional type of athletes.”
Jensen Ilagan said Phenom can be a venue for corporate events and basketball events with its full size Fiba standard basketball court.
Phenom also has a 100 square meter training area where players can do skills training and shooting and a fitness gym.
“We believe that any player or any athlete, needs to be prepared whenever they compete regardless if its recreational or at the varsity level or professional level,” said Jensen Ilagan.
The facility also boasts of the popular Dr. Dish Basketball machine which aids players in improving their shooting.
“I think this is long overdue we’ve been on soft opening for quite some time now,” said Jensen. “The ultimate goal is to be the first complete athletic training facility in the country.”