The Final Four of Palmetto State Madness doesn’t disappoint. Rivalry finals, anyone?

Final Four Saturday — the best day in college basketball.

Yes, this — with four teams still harboring hopes and dreams — is better than the title game. Only the cream remains, the squads who battled through the thicket of buzzer-beaters and upsets that make synonyms out of the NCAA tournament and March Madness.

Pressure, sometimes suffocating, engulfs the arena like a invisible fog. The rims somehow seem smaller, the points more precious.

That’s the scene today in the journey to our version of the Final Four, the semifinals of a fantasy NCAA tournament involving Palmetto State teams, a substitute for the canceled championship. Each college that had sent a team to Madness, to the real thing, received a representative, and the end is near.

Imagining the possibilities to get to this point and the debates, pro and con, created the fun. Could fiction produce an upstart from the so-called mid-major ranks? Could a couple of South Carolina teams coached by the Franks — McGuire and Martin — clash for the title? What about those Clemson teams that triumphed in the hornet’s nest called the Atlantic Coast Conference?

The semifinals are set:

▪ No. 1 seed South Carolina 1970 vs. No. 5 College of Charleston 1997, and

▪ No. 3 South Carolina 2017 vs. No. 2 Clemson 1980.

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Let’s see ...

Advance this far and there are no losers, only winners and those who failed to advance. Talent abounds; every roster will be represented in the NBA. There’s a player who led the ACC in rebounding three times and another who earned defensive accolades in an all-star career.

The 1970 Gamecocks appreciate the rules changes that added the 3-point goal and shot clock, especially the latter that eliminated the stall games that created their darkest days. But facing the disciplined Charleston team will be no day at the beach.

Guard play is paramount at this level and both have that in a big way — USC with All-American John Roche and Bobby Cremins and the Cougars with future pro Anthony Johnson and Jermel President. Charleston’s Thaddeous Delaney, 6-foot-8 and 240 pounds, will face the Gamecocks’ imposing front line led by 6-foot-11 Tom Owens, the ACC’s best rebounder in each of his three seasons.

Charleston controls the pace, a strategy Carolina coach Frank McGuire says “is old as the hills,” and it’s one that he has used successfully. The Gamecocks open a 27-23 halftime lead, then stretch the margin to 48-39 at the 9-minute mark after Roche scores six straight.

The Cougars cut a seven-point deficit to 61-57 on Johnson’s 3-pointer with 1:12 remaining, then force a turnover and score again on Delaney’s tip-in with 24 seconds on the clock. But Charleston must foul now and USC makes sure Roche, automatic from the line, controls the ball.

His two free throws with 9 seconds left wrap up a 63-59 triumph that eased the Gamecocks into the final.

South Carolina (1970) 63, College of Charleston (1997) 59

South Carolina: John Roche 24 points; Tom Owens 16 points, 11 rebounds; Tom Riker 11 points, 8 rebounds.

College of Charleston 1997: Thaddeous Delaney 11 points, 13 rebounds; Anthony Johnson 19 points, 6 assists; Stacy Harris 14 points; Rodney Conner 12 points.

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The other semifinal — Clemson ’80 vs. USC ’17 — featured the same intensity, a quicker pace and more offense.

Two future pros, the Tigers’ Larry Nance and Carolina’s Sindarius Thornwell, put on a compelling show, each scoring 18 points, and the Moose Campbell (Clemson)-Chris Silva (USC) confrontation in the low post is one to remember.

The Tigers led early, Carolina countered and owned a 36-33 advantage at the half. The Gamecocks stretched their lead to 49-40 midway the final period before Billy Williams worked his magic.

Williams averaged more than 20 points a game in ACC play that season — without the 3-point shot. With the “3” in vogue, he made five from long range in the second half, sparking the Tigers to a 68-61 lead at the four-minute mark.

USC pulled with three on two occasions, but Clemson made enough free throws to secure an 80-74 victory and a spot in the finals.

Clemson (1980) 80, South Carolina (2017) 74

Clemson: Larry Nance, 18 points, 6 rebounds; Billy Williams 25 points; John “Moose” Campbell 11 points, 9 rebounds; Horace Wyatt, 9 points, 7 rebounds; Bobby Conrad 11 points, 6 assists.

South Carolina: Sindarius Thornwell 18 points, 14 rebounds; Chris Silva 14 points, 10 rebounds; PJ Dozier 16 points; Duane Notice 13 points.

Palmetto State Madness scores, schedule

Sweet 16 scores

▪ No. 1 South Carolina (1970) 87, No. 16 Charleston Southern (1997) 64

▪ No. 9 Furman (1974) 73, No. 8 Clemson (1990) 71

▪ No. 5 College of Charleston (1997) 63, No. 12 USC Spartanburg (1982) 57

▪ No. 4 Clemson (1997) 75, No. 13 Winthrop (2020) 61

▪ No. 3 South Carolina (2017) 81, No. Coastal Carolina (1991) 69

▪ No. 6 Wofford (2019) 82, No. 11 College of Charleston (1983) 61

▪ No. 10 Winthrop (2007) 77, No. 7 South Carolina (1997) 70

▪ No. 2 Clemson (1980) 95, No. 15 South Carolina State (1998) 81

Elite Eight scores

▪ No. 1 South Carolina (1970) 91, No. 9 Furman (1974) 78

▪ No. 5 College of Charleston (1997) 66, No. 4 Clemson (1997) 65

▪ No. 3 South Carolina (2017) 71, No. 6 Wofford (2019) 66

▪ No. 2 Clemson (1980) 69, No. 10 Winthrop (2007) 63

Final Four scores

▪ No. 1 South Carolina (1970) 63, No. 5 College of Charleston (1997) 59

▪ No. 2 Clemson (1980) 80, No. 3 South Carolina (2017) 74

Championship game

▪ No. 1 South Carolina (1970) vs. No. 2 Clemson (1980)