THE MULTI-TITLED GMA-7 Kapuso displayed the heart of a champion, showing the needed poise in the crucial stretch to thwart the Inquirer-Cebu Daily News (CDN) Siloys, 91-87, yesterday in Game 1 of the 2015 Newsmen Basketball Association of Cebu (NBAC) best-of-three finals at the Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Gym.
The Siloys put up a gallant stand, erasing an 18-point deficit and went up by four points at one point in the third period.
GMA-7, the defending champions in the past several years, held its ground in the endgame behind Gabriel Bonjoc and Mark Hortelano.
Down by two points, 87-89, in the final 15 seconds, the Siloys had a chance to tie the game but Leo Alberio muffed two free throws.
Bonjoc then iced the win for GMA-7 by sinking two gift shots with 5.9 seconds left.
Bonjoc toppped GMA-7 with 29 points. Hortelano fired 20 points, Julius Vidal tallied 12, Godfrey Rellin contributed 11 in a balanced offensive attack by the Kapuso.
Johnny Tabuco erupted for 40 points for the Siloys.