.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers women's university baseball and the WNBA.Previously dealt with UConn as well as the WNBA Connecticut Sunlight for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate and Baltimore native along with further experience at the Dallas Morning Headlines, Seat Moments as well as Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Author Co-author, Pro Baseball Syllabus series.Formerly a professional with the Indiana Pacers.Developed WARP rating and also SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo international rivals will certainly meet again on Friday, as the United States girls's basketball staff confronts the Australian Opals with a location in the 2024 Paris Gamings' gold medal suit on the line.Team United States, which is actually riding a touch of 59 successive Olympic wins, advanced to the semifinals along with an 88-74 overcome Nigeria on Wednesday. Adhering to an upset loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung together 3 straight success, including Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal decision over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the U.S. women have been the gold criterion for baseball throughout the world, succeeding seven successive Olympic gold medals as well as nine general, Australia has actually been a historical giant alongside all of them. The Opals have medaled in 5 of the past 7 Summers months Video games, take away 3 silvers as well as 2 bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris marks the first time they have actually improved past the quarterfinals given that the 2012 London Games.2012 likewise was the final opportunity the fabulous Lauren Jackson dressed on the Olympic stage for the green as well as gold-- previously. While Crew USA has 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, seeming in her fifth Gamings and also to begin with in 12 years. Jackson has consistently medaled in the competitors, as well as though she has actually found restricted activity thus far in France, she has a possibility to carry on that streak this weekend.Australia-- which includes six energetic WNBA gamers-- possesses plenty of drive, but the Opals are actually 0-20 all time versus the united state elderly national crew, consisting of 0-8 in Olympic competitors. In the course of the five Games through which they medaled, Australia shed to the U.S. either in the semifinals or the gold medal competition. The teams final fulfilled in 2020, when the Americans prevailed 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and also Kevin Pelton malfunction several of the pressing questions moving into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart debts Jackie Young for jump-starting Crew USABreanna Stewart chats with Brian Windhorst after Team USA's 14-point gain Nigeria to accelerate to the semifinals.Team United States switched over up its starting 5 against Nigeria, with Jackie Young in place of Diana Taurasi. Did the action correct its concerns in the backcourt?Philippou: Starting Youthful in place of Taurasi-- who had final go over the bench at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the correct relocation. Along with 15 points versus Nigeria, Young appears to be carving out a job as Staff U.S.A.'s third marker behind A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. (Undoubtedly, Young is the only other united state gamer balancing dual figures at 10.3 factors every video game.) Young, among three Sin city Aces players in the starting five, flaunted her 3-point capturing previously against Germany, going 5-of-8. Yet while she went scoreless coming from deeper on Wednesday, it was her capacity to receive downhill and hit from midrange that stood out, alongside her hallmark self defense in the backcourt. It took until the middle of the 2nd one-fourth for the united state to really place its own foot on the gas against Nigeria, however Youthful's aggression as well as electricity on both ends must continue to return. And Taurasi seemed to do well off the seat, where she stepped up as a company with 4 assists.Pelton: I 'd like to view starting point player Chelsea Gray be actually a risk to rating. She missed all three of her chance efforts in the quarterfinals, taking Gray to 1-of-13 thus far during the Olympics. Amazingly, the USA outscored Nigeria by merely 2 points in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 other starters had a plus-minus of plus-17 or even far better while on the court.Still, as I stated in our last roundtable, the USA ladies can get rid of one non-scorer in the beginning 5 such a long time as she is actually bringing something else to the desk. And also Gray is actually along with her playmaking, having today completed 22 supports against merely 3 turn overs. Therefore, I do not think coach Cheryl Reeve needs to create additional changes.Photo through Garrett Ellwood/NBAE using Getty ImagesWhat complications do the Australians posture, and also what could possibly create all of them a hard matchup?Top tales of the week coming from Acquire exclusive access to hundreds of superior short articles a year coming from leading writers. u2022 Solak: Interesting NFL QB sophomore training class "u2022 MLB: Epic AL MVP battle, various other honors "u2022 25 most important gamers in CFP race" Even more ESPN+ content ".Philippou: WNBA enthusiasts are going to be actually well accustomed to this Opals team, which includes the Seattle Tornado's Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Smith, Los Angeles Sparks' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Baggage Melbourne and also Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus New York Freedom train Sandy Brondello at the helm. Certainly not merely perform the Opals have the talent to compete against Staff United States. They possess energy and also resolve following their frustrating begin to the Olympics. Brondello has actually been pleased along with her staff's grace as well as grit over recent full week, 2 qualities a rival needs when encountering the Americans.The Opals, whose balanced attack flaunts 5 gamers balancing a minimum of 8.0 PPG, can easily injure foes inside along with Magbegor and also Smith yet also coming from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the best in the Olympic field and also a lot higher than Crew United States's puny 30.8%. Whitcomb and also Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while with the Sin City Aces, lead the group with eight as well as 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: Abstractly, Australia is deeper as well as much more skilled than any staff in the business barring the united state females. Our company can discuss the greatest global gamer at the Paris Gamings, with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and also Satou Sabally (Germany) as strong candidates. However no staff possesses a pair of gamers just as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and Johnson, both of whom will have performed my WNBA Dream team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was certainly not named to the group this period regardless of identical production.) And no staff outside the USA possesses almost as a lot WNBA experience throughout its roster.Given everything talent, it was actually stunning when Australia dropped its own opening video game to Nigeria at that point rarely trump winless Canada. In their past 2 activities, our team've found the Opals our team anticipated, as they trump topped France to develop to the knockout stage and led Serbia by as several as 28 in an uneven quarterfinal victory.A' Ja recipes to Stewie for 3. LeBron approves. USA Network and also Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can easily any individual cease Breanna Stewart as well as A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. However if any person is going to have all of them, it's the duo of Magbegor as well as Smith. Australia's message gamers rank second (Magbegor, 2.4) and also 4th (Johnson, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks per video game and have the movement to speak up for Stewart and also Wilson on the perimeter. Magbegor is especially experienced against both opponents, having encountered Stewart virtual for three years as Tornado teammates and paired up with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The biggest obstacle for Magbegor and also Smith is actually foul issue. Magbegor got three first-half fouls against Canada, and also Smith had 2 in the first quarter versus France, limiting their minutes. Data backup George is actually a difficult, skillful player (she racked up 18 points in 24 moments versus Serbia) yet nowhere near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up a legitimate problem. However given the take in Stewart and Wilson contend this stage-- Stewart is going with her 3rd Olympic gold and Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor and Johnson are actually looking in their initial Games-- I 'd count on the Crew U.S.A. incredibly duo to help make the winning participates in important in such a stressful scenario to advance to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and also Belgium will be a harder opponent for Team USA?Pelton: I'm going with Belgium, which offered the USA women their hardest Olympic test however. The Americans prevailed by 13 points, although the margin was actually simply 7 getting into the 4th quarter of a group phase activity played in Lille, France, near the edge along with Belgium. All this even with Belgium going simply 5-of-27 in 3-point capturing, along with Julie Vanloo especially battling coming from midtown while overlooking 10 of her 11 attempts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 from 3, scoring 13 aspects along with seven helps (albeit along with nine turnovers) as Belgium travelled previous Spain, the just other staff besides the united state that was unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the lot nation with the group on its own edge as well as plenty of pride on the line, a tough defensive team in France wouldn't be actually a piece of cake, either, specifically if Marine Johannes can blow up like she carried out against Germany along with 24 points off the seat and with Gabby Williams leading the way on each ends.Has Staff USA played its own greatest basketball yet?Philippou: In-game uniformity, specifically on offense, can still be a problem. There are opportunities when the lack of playing time together or even Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is still evident. Nevertheless, there's a reason why Sue Bird lately pointed out on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that USA Baseball is one of the most uncomfortable basketball she has ever before played. After a little bit of a slow begin, the U.S. eventually led through 30 in the third quarter against Nigeria, however Reeve couldn't have actually really loved how her crew enabled the D'Tigress to make it a 14-point game prior to the ultimate buzzer. Via 4 games, the Americans' shortage of 3-point firing hasn't definitely been corrected, which may be an issue if rivals fume coming from deep.Team U.S.A. can not neglect any one of the staying crews in the business, but with a defensive identity and also offensive expertise led by Stewart and also Wilson, it has actually presented it can easily place games away when it needs to have to, one thing that ought to transmit over in to the ultimate 2 games.Pelton: On the flip side, I presume the shooting is actually likewise cause to strongly believe there is actually an additional equipment for the U.S. ladies. Jointly, the 12 players on the roster have combined to fire thirty three% on 3-point attempts in the WNBA this time. That won't earn a "Splash Sisters" label any time quickly, however it is actually also much better than Crew USA has actually managed coming from the shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually past due to warm coming from lengthy range. Keep an eye out if they finally carry out.