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With an unparalleled toughness, South Carolina gained the respect of basketball players, coaches and fans across the country with an improbable run than ended a few points short in its Final Four loss to Gonzaga.
Coach Frank Martin’s personal story was well documented in recent weeks, from night club bouncer to high school junior varsity coach, but it was the unshakable will of his players that drew the respect of so many.
“I don’t get to coach them anymore, but they’re part of my life forever,” Martin told reporters in the post-game press conference.
Gonzaga coach Mark Few even took notice, saying after his team outlasted the Gamecocks 77-73: “It just shows the heart of a lion they have that Frank instills in them.”
The 26-11 season put Martin in the same conversation as legendary coach Frank McGuire, who led South Carolina in its previous golden years and held the previous high water mark for wins in a season at 25 in 1969-70.
The Gamecocks entered the tournament having last won a March Madness game in 1973. They reached the Final Four with four wins, including victories over Duke, Baylor and Florida — the Nos. 2, 3 and 4 seeds in the East. It was against those teams, especially Duke and Baylor, that South Carolina overcame significant deficits.
For much of the season, they were listed as 100-1 or worse by Vegas odds makers to win the national title, and only by the Sweet 16 had they moved to 50-1.
The historic run, if not the best in program history, was at least the best since the Gamecocks’ last tournament win in 1973. It doubled the all-time tournament win total, from four to eight, as they entered this 4-9 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
The stands are officially shaking where I'm sitting…#gamecocks
— Ryan Succop (@ryansuccop) April 1, 2017
While Sindarius Thornwell was the unquestioned star of the group, they shared the burden. Four or more Gamecocks scored in double figures in each NCAA Tournament game.
Martin said the run through the NCAA Tournament, and not the final score of the Gonzaga game, would have a lasting impact in the USC community and beyond.
"When you impact people by the masses the way these kids have, that means you're a winner." – Frank Martin #FinalFour #ForeverToThee pic.twitter.com/ujpRCsDwuj
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 2, 2017
"They are part of my life forever."-Frank Martin, with tears streaming down his face, on his team.
— Kevin McCrarey (@KMacMustDie) April 2, 2017
Congrats on an incredible run this year @GamecockMBB and of course so happy for Mark Few and the @ZagMBB program for reaching the #FinalFour
— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) April 2, 2017
What a historic year. Proud of everyone! #forevertothee
— Marcus Lattimore (@MarcusLattimore) April 2, 2017
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
