.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers girls's college basketball and the WNBA.Earlier dealt with UConn as well as the WNBA Connecticut Sunlight for the Hartford Courant.Stanford grad as well as Baltimore native along with additional encounter at the Dallas Early Morning Headlines, Seattle Moments as well as Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Elder Article Writer Co-author, Pro Basketball Program series.Previously an expert along with the Indiana Pacers.Built WARP rating as well as SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo worldwide competitors will reunite on Friday, as the USA ladies's baseball crew faces the Australian Opals along with a location in the 2024 Paris Games' gold medal suit on the line.Team United States, which is actually riding a touch of 59 successive Olympic triumphes, advanced to the semifinals with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Complying with a dismayed loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung together 3 straight success, consisting of Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal selection over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the U.S. females have actually been actually the gold requirement for basketball all over the globe, winning 7 consecutive Olympic gold awards and 9 general, Australia has been a historic goliath along with them. The Opals have medaled in 5 of the past seven Summers months Games, take away 3 silvers and two bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris marks the first time they've developed past the quarterfinals due to the fact that the 2012 Greater london Gamings.2012 likewise was actually the last opportunity the famous Lauren Jackson suited up on the Olympic phase for the green as well as gold-- previously. While Crew United States has 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, appearing in her 5th Video games as well as first in 12 years. Jackson has actually always medaled in the competitors, and though she has actually found limited action until now in France, she has a chance to proceed that touch this weekend.Australia-- which flaunts 6 active WNBA gamers-- possesses lots of energy, however the Opals are 0-20 all time against the USA senior national staff, featuring 0-8 in Olympic competitors. During the five Games in which they medaled, Australia shed to the U.S. either in the semifinals or the gold medal contest. The squads final fulfilled in 2020, when the Americans prevailed 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and Kevin Pelton break down a number of journalism questions moving in to the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credits Jackie Young for jump-starting Group USABreanna Stewart chats with Brian Windhorst after Group United States's 14-point win over Nigeria to advance to the semifinals.Team United States switched over up its starting 5 against Nigeria, with Jackie Young in place of Diana Taurasi. Performed the relocation correct its problems in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Young instead of Taurasi-- that possessed last go over the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the appropriate action. With 15 factors versus Nigeria, Young looks taking a task as Crew USA's 3rd scorer behind A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. (Indeed, Young is the only other U.S. player averaging dual designs at 10.3 factors every video game.) Young, among 3 Las Vegas Aces players in the beginning five, showed off her 3-point capturing previously versus Germany, going 5-of-8. But while she went scoreless from deep on Wednesday, it was her potential to obtain downhill and also strike coming from midrange that stood out, along with her trademark protection in the backcourt. It took up until the middle of the second quarter for the united state to truly put its feet on the gasoline against Nigeria, however Young's aggression as well as power on each ends ought to remain to return. And Taurasi appeared to carry out effectively off the seat, where she improved as a facilitator with four assists.Pelton: I 'd enjoy to find beginning point player Chelsea Gray be actually a hazard to rating. She missed all 3 of her chance efforts in the quarterfinals, taking Gray to 1-of-13 up until now during the Olympics. Amazingly, the united state outscored Nigeria through just two factors in Gray's 17:27, while all four other starters possessed a plus-minus of plus-17 or even much better while on the court.Still, as I stated in our final roundtable, the U.S. ladies may eliminate one non-scorer in the starting 5 such a long time as she is actually carrying another thing to the desk. As well as Gray is actually with her playmaking, having now completed 22 assists versus merely three turn overs. Thus, I do not think coach Cheryl Reeve needs to have to create additional changes.Photo through Garrett Ellwood/NBAE using Getty ImagesWhat problems perform the Australians posture, as well as what could make them a hard matchup?Top tales of the full week coming from Receive exclusive access to countless superior posts a year coming from best authors. u2022 Solak: Interesting NFL QB sophomore class "u2022 MLB: Epic AL MVP battle, other honors "u2022 25 essential gamers in CFP ethnicity" Additional ESPN+ material ".Philippou: WNBA followers are going to be effectively acquainted with this Opals squad, which features the Seattle Hurricane's Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Smith, Los Angeles Stimulates' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne as well as Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus Nyc Freedom coach Sandy Brondello at the helm. Certainly not just do the Opals have the skill to contend against Team United States. They possess drive and also fix observing their disappointing start to the Olympics. Brondello has been felt free to with her team's poise and grit over the past week, two high qualities a challenger requires when encountering the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced attack boasts five gamers balancing a minimum of 8.0 PPG, may injure enemies inside along with Magbegor and Johnson yet also coming from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the greatest in the Olympic field and considerably greater than Staff United States's modest 30.8%. Whitcomb and Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while along with the Las Vegas Aces, lead the crew along with 8 and 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: Abstractly, Australia is much deeper and much more talented than any group in the field save for the USA girls. We can dispute the greatest global player at the Paris Video Games, with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) as well as Satou Sabally (Germany) as powerful candidates. But no crew has a pair of gamers just as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and also Johnson, each of whom will possess performed my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was certainly not called to the staff this period in spite of similar manufacturing.) As well as no group outside the united state possesses virtually as a lot WNBA adventure throughout its roster.Given everything skill, it was actually surprising when Australia dropped its opening video game to Nigeria after that hardly defeat winless Canada. In their past two video games, our experts've found the Opals we anticipated, as they defeat bested France to develop to the knockout stage and also led Serbia by as lots of as 28 in an uneven quarterfinal victory.A' Ja dishes to Stewie for three. LeBron approves. U.S.A. Network and also Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 May anybody stop Breanna Stewart as well as A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. But if anyone is actually mosting likely to include all of them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor as well as Johnson. Australia's blog post gamers place second (Magbegor, 2.4) and also fourth (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks per activity and have the flexibility to defend Stewart and Wilson on the border. Magbegor is actually specifically experienced against both rivals, having faced Stewart in practice for three years as Tornado colleagues as well as compared along with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The most significant hurdle for Magbegor and Smith is nasty difficulty. Magbegor got 3 first-half fouls against Canada, and also Smith had pair of in the 1st one-fourth versus France, restricting their moments. Data backup George is actually a hard, competent player (she scored 18 points in 24 mins versus Serbia) but no place near as sports on defense.Philippou: Pelton raises a legitimate concern. But given the experience Stewart and also Wilson have at this phase-- Stewart is actually going for her 3rd Olympic gold and also Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor and Johnson are actually appearing in their first Gamings-- I would certainly anticipate the Group U.S.A. tremendously duo to produce the winning plays needed in such a stressful circumstance to development to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and also Belgium would certainly be a more durable opponent for Staff USA?Pelton: I'm going with Belgium, which provided the USA women their hardest Olympic exam but. The Americans prevailed by 13 aspects, although the margin was actually just 7 entering the 4th quarter of a team stage activity played in Lille, France, near the border along with Belgium. All this even with Belgium going just 5-of-27 in 3-point firing, along with Julie Vanloo specifically struggling from midtown while overlooking 10 of her 11 tries. On Wednesday, the Mystics point guard went 3-of-5 coming from 3, scoring 13 points with seven supports (albeit with nine turn overs) as Belgium cruised past Spain, the simply various other staff besides the U.S. that was unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the bunch nation along with the group on its edge and also a lot of take pride in on the line, a hard protective crew in France definitely would not be a pushover, either, especially if Marine Johannes can go off like she performed against Germany with 24 points off the bench and also along with Gabby Williams blazing a trail on each ends.Has Team U.S.A. played its absolute best baseball yet?Philippou: In-game consistency, particularly on outburst, may still be actually a concern. There are actually times when the absence of playing opportunity together or even Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is still noticeable. After all, there's a reason why Sue Bird recently claimed on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that United States Basketball is actually the absolute most uneasy basketball she has actually ever before played. After a little a slow-moving begin, the USA at some point led through 30 in the third quarter against Nigeria, but Reeve could not have actually enjoyed how her group permitted the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point activity just before the final buzzer. Via 4 video games, the Americans' absence of 3-point shooting have not truly been actually remedied, which may be an issue if challengers get hot coming from deep.Team United States can not ignore some of the staying crews in the business, yet along with a protective identity and offensive adeptness led by Stewart and also Wilson, it has shown it can easily put video games away when it requires to, one thing that needs to move over right into the last two games.Pelton: On the other side, I think the firing is likewise explanation to feel there's yet another equipment for the U.S. girls. Jointly, the 12 gamers on the lineup have actually blended to fire thirty three% on 3-point efforts in the WNBA this period. That won't earn a "Sprinkle Siblings" nickname any time very soon, however it's also far better than Group USA has actually managed coming from the shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) as well as Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are past due to warm up coming from long range. Watch out if they ultimately carry out.