.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers ladies's university baseball as well as the WNBA.Formerly dealt with UConn as well as the WNBA Connecticut Sunlight for the Hartford Courant.Stanford grad as well as Baltimore native with additional take in at the Dallas Morning Information, Seat Moments and Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Writer Co-author, Pro Basketball Program collection.Formerly a consultant along with the Indiana Pacers.Created WARP score and also SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo international competitors will reunite on Friday, as the USA females's baseball staff confronts the Australian Opals with a location in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold award match on the line.Team United States, which is using a streak of 59 consecutive Olympic success, developed to the semifinals with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Adhering to a distressed reduction to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung together three upright triumphes, consisting of Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal selection over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the united state ladies have actually been actually the gold criterion for basketball across the world, winning 7 successive Olympic gold medals and nine overall, Australia has actually been actually a historic powerhouse along with them. The Opals have actually medaled in five of the past seven Summers months Video games, taking home 3 silvers and pair of bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris marks the first time they have actually improved past the quarterfinals due to the fact that the 2012 London Video games.2012 likewise was actually the last opportunity the famous Lauren Jackson wore on the Olympic stage for the environment-friendly and gold-- previously. While Team USA possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals have Jackson, 43, appearing in her fifth Gamings and also first in 12 years. Jackson has constantly medaled in the competition, as well as though she has observed restricted activity until now in France, she possesses a possibility to proceed that streak this weekend.Australia-- which boasts 6 energetic WNBA gamers-- possesses loads of energy, yet the Opals are actually 0-20 perpetuity versus the united state senior nationwide crew, including 0-8 in Olympic competition. During the course of the five Games in which they medaled, Australia dropped to the U.S. either in the semifinals or even the gold medal competition. The teams final met in 2020, when the Americans prevailed 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and Kevin Pelton break a number of the pressing concerns moving right into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit scores Jackie Young for jump-starting Team USABreanna Stewart talks along with Brian Windhorst after Team U.S.A.'s 14-point gain Nigeria to accelerate to the semifinals.Team U.S.A. switched over up its own starting five against Nigeria, along with Jackie Young instead of Diana Taurasi. Did the relocation repair its problems in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Youthful instead of Taurasi-- who had final come off the bench at the Olympics in 2004-- was the correct step. Along with 15 factors versus Nigeria, Youthful appears to be carving out a duty as Team U.S.A.'s third marker responsible for A'ja Wilson and also Breanna Stewart. (Definitely, Youthful is actually the simply other U.S. player balancing double figures at 10.3 aspects per game.) Youthful, some of three Sin city Aces gamers in the starting five, displayed her 3-point shooting earlier against Germany, going 5-of-8. But while she went scoreless from deep-seated on Wednesday, it was her capability to receive downhill and strike coming from midrange that stuck out, in addition to her hallmark protection in the backcourt. It took till the center of the 2nd one-fourth for the united state to really put its feet on the gasoline versus Nigeria, but Young's hostility as well as electricity on both ends should continue to return. And also Taurasi seemed to be to do properly off the bench, where she boosted as a company along with 4 assists.Pelton: I will enjoy to see beginning point guard Chelsea Gray be a threat to credit rating. She missed all three of her go efforts in the quarterfinals, taking Gray to 1-of-13 thus far during the Olympics. Remarkably, the U.S. outscored Nigeria through just 2 points in Gray's 17:27, while all four other starters had a plus-minus of plus-17 or far better while on the court.Still, as I mentioned in our final roundtable, the united state girls can get rid of one non-scorer in the starting five so long as she is actually carrying another thing to the table. And Gray is actually along with her playmaking, having today totted 22 aids versus only 3 turn overs. So, I don't presume coach Cheryl Reeve requires to create additional changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE through Getty ImagesWhat concerns perform the Australians posture, as well as what might make all of them a difficult matchup?Top accounts of the full week from Acquire unique accessibility to thousands of premium write-ups a year coming from top article writers. u2022 Solak: Appealing NFL QB student class "u2022 MLB: Impressive AL MVP war, other honors "u2022 25 essential gamers in CFP ethnicity" Additional ESPN+ web content ".Philippou: WNBA enthusiasts will be actually well aware of this Opals squad, which includes the Seattle Storm's Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Triggers' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne as well as Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus New York Freedom instructor Sandy Brondello at the helm. Not only do the Opals possess the talent to compete versus Staff United States. They have drive and resolve following their disappointing begin to the Olympics. Brondello has been actually satisfied with her staff's grace and also grit over the past full week, pair of high qualities an enemy needs to have when dealing with the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced attack includes 5 players averaging a minimum of 8.0 PPG, can easily harm enemies inside with Magbegor and also Smith yet additionally from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the most effective in the Olympic industry and also much higher than Team U.S.A.'s modest 30.8%. Whitcomb and Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while with the Las Vegas Aces, lead the team with 8 as well as 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: Abstractly, Australia is actually deeper as well as extra proficient than any kind of crew in the business barring the U.S. ladies. Our company can easily debate the best worldwide gamer at the Paris Gamings, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and Satou Sabally (Germany) as solid prospects. Yet no team possesses a set of gamers as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and Smith, both of whom will possess gotten on my WNBA Dream team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was actually not called to the crew this time even with similar manufacturing.) And no staff outside the USA possesses almost as a lot WNBA expertise throughout its roster.Given the only thing that skill, it was stunning when Australia dropped its opening video game to Nigeria at that point hardly defeat winless Canada. In their past two video games, we've viewed the Opals we expected, as they trump outdoed France to advance to the knockout phase and also led Serbia through as several as 28 in an uneven quarterfinal victory.A' Ja dishes to Stewie for 3. LeBron permits. USA Network as well as Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can easily anyone stop Breanna Stewart and also A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. Yet if any individual is heading to include all of them, it's the duo of Magbegor and Smith. Australia's post players rank 2nd (Magbegor, 2.4) and also fourth (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks per game and possess the movement to defend Stewart and also Wilson on the border. Magbegor is actually specifically experienced versus both opponents, having actually faced Stewart in practice for 3 years as Storm teammates as well as paired up along with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The largest obstacle for Magbegor and Smith is nasty problem. Magbegor got 3 first-half fouls versus Canada, as well as Smith had two in the initial fourth versus France, limiting their mins. Back-up George is a hard, proficient player (she racked up 18 factors in 24 mins versus Serbia) yet nowhere near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up a legitimate issue. But given the take in Stewart and Wilson contend this phase-- Stewart is selecting her 3rd Olympic gold and also Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor and Johnson are looking in their very first Video games-- I would certainly anticipate the Crew USA tremendously duo to make the winning participates in important in such a stressful scenario to development to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and Belgium would be a more durable rival for Crew USA?Pelton: I am actually opting for Belgium, which provided the U.S. women their most difficult Olympic exam however. The Americans dominated by 13 factors, although the frame was merely seven entering the fourth one-fourth of a group phase activity played in Lille, France, near the edge along with Belgium. All this even with Belgium going only 5-of-27 in 3-point firing, with Julie Vanloo particularly battling coming from downtown while missing 10 of her 11 attempts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 coming from 3, racking up thirteen points along with 7 assists (albeit with nine turnovers) as Belgium cruised past Spain, the only various other crew besides the united state that was unbeaten in pool play.Philippou: As the host nation along with the crowd on its edge and lots of pride on the line, a hard defensive group in France definitely would not be a piece of cake, either, especially if Marine Johannes can go off like she did against Germany along with 24 factors off the seat and with Gabby Williams blazing a trail on both ends.Has Group U.S.A. played its greatest baseball yet?Philippou: In-game consistency, specifically on offense, may still be an issue. There are opportunities when the absence of playing time together or even Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is still noticeable. It goes without saying, there's a reason Sue Bird lately said on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that U.S.A. Basketball is the absolute most annoying baseball she has ever before participated in. After a bit of a slow-moving begin, the united state eventually led through 30 in the 3rd one-fourth versus Nigeria, however Reeve could not have adored how her staff enabled the D'Tigress to make it a 14-point game before the final buzzer. Through four video games, the Americans' absence of 3-point capturing hasn't truly been solved, which could be an issue if enemies fume from deep.Team U.S.A. can't neglect any of the staying crews in the business, yet with a protective identification and also aggressive adeptness led by Stewart and Wilson, it has actually revealed it can put games away when it needs to have to, something that must transmit over right into the final two games.Pelton: On the other hand, I believe the shooting is actually additionally cause to believe there's yet another equipment for the united state girls. Collectively, the 12 gamers on the lineup have actually blended to shoot 33% on 3-point efforts in the WNBA this time. That will not earn a "Sprinkle Sisters" nickname any time quickly, however it's also much better than Staff USA has taken care of from the much shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) as well as Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are overdue to warm from lengthy assortment. Keep an eye out if they eventually carry out.