Brescia has clinched the top seed in the Italian Serie A1 playoffs after a dramatic 13:12 home victory over Pro Recco in the final round of the regular season.
Both teams finished level on 73 points after 26 matches, but Brescia claimed first place thanks to a better head-to-head record, having drawn the reverse fixture 8:8 earlier in the season.
In front of a lively home crowd, Brescia edged the opening quarter 3:2. They extended their lead early in the second, with Max Irving converting a penalty to make it 4:2. Pro Recco responded through Aaron Younger, also from the 5-meter line, and fought back to level twice before halftime—at 5:5 and again at 6:6.
The third quarter began with more back-and-forth action. After Condemi tied the game at 7:7 from the penalty spot, Brescia struck twice in quick succession through Del Basso and Dolce, restoring a two-goal cushion at 9:7. Recco stayed within touching distance, but the hosts remained in control.
A crucial phase came late in the match when Brescia netted three extra-man goals in a three-minute span—two from Guerrato and one from Ferrero—to take a commanding 13:9 lead with just over three minutes remaining.
But Recco wasn’t finished. The reigning champions rallied with three unanswered goals, closing the gap to 13:12 with 56 seconds left on the clock. However, Brescia held firm in the final moments to secure a huge win and top spot heading into the playoffs.
Mario Del Basso led the scoring for Brescia with four goals. Max Irving added three, Guerrato and Dolce scored two apiece, while Balzarini and Ferrero each added one.
Pro Recco’s captain Francesco Di Fulvio was the game’s top scorer with five goals. Aaron Younger contributed two, and six other players—Presciutti, Iocchi Gratta, Durik, Hallock, and Condemi—each scored once.
The rest of the matches in the 26th round will be played on Saturday. Brescia will face either Trieste or De Akker in the semifinals, depending on results, while Pro Recco will meet Savona.
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