.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers ladies's college baseball and also the WNBA.Earlier dealt with UConn and the WNBA Connecticut Sunshine for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate as well as Baltimore native along with more encounter at the Dallas Early Morning News, Seattle Times as well as Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Author Co-author, Pro Basketball Syllabus collection.Previously a professional along with the Indiana Pacers.Cultivated WARP score and SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo worldwide rivals will definitely reunite on Friday, as the USA females's baseball group faces the Australian Opals along with an area in the 2024 Paris Gamings' gold award match on the line.Team United States, which is riding a touch of 59 consecutive Olympic triumphes, improved to the semifinals along with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Observing a distressed reduction to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung together three upright success, including Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal selection over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the USA girls have been actually the gold criterion for basketball all over the globe, winning 7 consecutive Olympic gold medals and also nine overall, Australia has been a historical giant alongside them. The Opals have medaled in five of recent seven Summer Video games, taking home three silvers and 2 bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris denotes the first time they've advanced past the quarterfinals given that the 2012 Greater london Games.2012 also was the last time the legendary Lauren Jackson dressed on the Olympic stage for the eco-friendly and gold-- previously. While Staff U.S.A. possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, seeming in her fifth Games as well as first in 12 years. Jackson has always medaled in the competition, as well as though she has actually found restricted action up until now in France, she has an opportunity to carry on that streak this weekend.Australia-- which boasts six active WNBA players-- possesses loads of drive, yet the Opals are actually 0-20 all time against the U.S. senior national staff, featuring 0-8 in Olympic competitors. During the course of the 5 Games in which they medaled, Australia shed to the USA either in the semifinals or even the gold award contest. The teams last met in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and also Kevin Pelton break a few of journalism questions heading right into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit scores Jackie Young for jump-starting Team USABreanna Stewart speaks with Brian Windhorst after Crew U.S.A.'s 14-point draw Nigeria to evolve to the semifinals.Team U.S.A. changed up its own beginning five against Nigeria, with Jackie Young in place of Diana Taurasi. Did the move fix its issues in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Young in place of Taurasi-- that possessed last come off the bench at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the correct relocation. With 15 points versus Nigeria, Young looks carving out a task as Staff United States's 3rd scorer behind A'ja Wilson and also Breanna Stewart. (Indeed, Young is actually the merely various other USA gamer balancing dual designs at 10.3 points every video game.) Youthful, among three Las Vegas Aces players in the beginning 5, displayed her 3-point firing previously versus Germany, going 5-of-8. However while she went scoreless from deeper on Wednesday, it was her potential to get downhill and strike from midrange that attracted attention, together with her hallmark defense in the backcourt. It took up until the middle of the second fourth for the USA to really put its foot on the gas versus Nigeria, but Young's hostility as well as energy on both ends ought to continue to return. And also Taurasi seemed to do effectively off the seat, where she improved as a facilitator with four assists.Pelton: I would certainly adore to find beginning point guard Chelsea Gray be a danger to credit rating. She overlooked all three of her shot efforts in the quarterfinals, delivering Gray to 1-of-13 so far during the Olympics. Amazingly, the U.S. outscored Nigeria through merely 2 aspects in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 other beginners possessed a plus-minus of plus-17 or better while on the court.Still, as I mentioned in our last roundtable, the U.S. girls can easily get over one non-scorer in the beginning 5 so long as she is actually carrying another thing to the desk. As well as Gray is with her playmaking, having actually today totaled 22 assists versus merely three turn overs. Thus, I do not believe coach Cheryl Reeve needs to make more changes.Photo through Garrett Ellwood/NBAE using Getty ImagesWhat problems do the Australians pose, as well as what might make all of them a challenging matchup?Top stories of the full week coming from Obtain unique accessibility to lots of costs posts a year from best writers. u2022 Solak: Fascinating NFL QB student class "u2022 MLB: Impressive AL MVP battle, various other honors "u2022 25 most important players in CFP race" Even more ESPN+ information ".Philippou: WNBA fans will definitely be well accustomed to this Opals squad, which features the Seattle Storm's Ezi Magbegor and also Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Smith, Los Angeles Triggers' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne and also Indiana High temperature's Kristy Wallace, plus Nyc Liberty trainer Sandy Brondello at the helm. Certainly not simply perform the Opals possess the ability to complete versus Crew USA. They possess momentum and fix observing their frustrating start to the Olympics. Brondello has been felt free to with her team's grace as well as guts over the past week, two high qualities a rival needs to have when encountering the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced assault flaunts 5 players averaging a minimum of 8.0 PPG, can injure adversaries inside along with Magbegor and also Smith yet likewise from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the most effective in the Olympic area as well as much more than Crew United States's modest 30.8%. Whitcomb and also Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champ while along with the Las Vegas Aces, lead the staff with 8 and also 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: On paper, Australia is actually much deeper and also more proficient than any type of staff in the field save for the USA girls. Our company can easily question the greatest international player at the Paris Games, with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and Satou Sabally (Germany) as tough prospects. However no crew possesses a pair of players like the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and Smith, each of whom would certainly have been on my WNBA Dream team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was certainly not named to the staff this time in spite of identical manufacturing.) And also no team outside the USA possesses virtually as much WNBA experience throughout its own roster.Given all that talent, it was shocking when Australia dropped its own position activity to Nigeria at that point rarely defeat winless Canada. In their previous pair of video games, we've seen the Opals we expected, as they beat topped France to advance to the knockout stage as well as led Serbia through as several as 28 in an unbalanced quarterfinal victory.A' Ja meals to Stewie for 3. LeBron authorizes. USA Network and also Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can easily any individual cease Breanna Stewart and also A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. Yet if anybody is heading to have them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor as well as Johnson. Australia's message gamers position second (Magbegor, 2.4) and 4th (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every game as well as possess the movement to speak up for Stewart and also Wilson on the perimeter. Magbegor is actually specifically experienced against both rivals, having actually faced Stewart virtual for 3 years as Storm allies as well as matched up with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The largest difficulty for Magbegor and Johnson is actually foul difficulty. Magbegor got three first-half fouls versus Canada, and Johnson possessed pair of in the initial one-fourth versus France, limiting their moments. Backup George is actually a hard, skillful gamer (she scored 18 points in 24 mins versus Serbia) yet no place near as sports on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up an authentic concern. But given the encounter Stewart as well as Wilson have at this phase-- Stewart is actually going with her third Olympic gold and also Wilson her second, while Magbegor and also Johnson are actually appearing in their 1st Video games-- I would certainly count on the Crew USA very duo to produce the winning participates in essential in such a high-pressure situation to innovation to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and Belgium would certainly be a harder rival for Team USA?Pelton: I am actually choosing Belgium, which gave the U.S. females their most difficult Olympic examination but. The Americans prevailed through 13 aspects, although the margin was actually merely 7 going into the 4th one-fourth of a team phase video game played in Lille, France, near the border with Belgium. All this in spite of Belgium going only 5-of-27 in 3-point capturing, with Julie Vanloo particularly struggling from downtown while overlooking 10 of her 11 efforts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 from 3, scoring thirteen factors with seven helps (albeit along with 9 turnovers) as Belgium navigated previous Spain, the only other team besides the U.S. that was unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the bunch country along with the group on its side as well as loads of honor on the line, a difficult defensive crew in France definitely would not be a piece of cake, either, specifically if Marine Johannes can go off like she did against Germany with 24 points off the seat and along with Gabby Williams blazing a trail on each ends.Has Team United States played its own greatest baseball yet?Philippou: In-game uniformity, particularly on outburst, may still be a concern. There are actually opportunities when the shortage of playing opportunity together or even Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is actually still obvious. Besides, there's a reason that Sue Bird recently pointed out on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that United States Basketball is actually the best awkward basketball she has actually ever before participated in. After a little bit of a slow-moving beginning, the USA eventually led through 30 in the third fourth against Nigeria, but Reeve couldn't have loved exactly how her crew allowed the D'Tigress to make it a 14-point video game prior to the final buzzer. With 4 games, the Americans' lack of 3-point capturing hasn't definitely been actually treated, which might be an issue if rivals fume from deep.Team U.S.A. can not overlook any of the staying groups in the business, however with a defensive identification as well as offensive expertise led through Stewart and Wilson, it has revealed it may put activities away when it needs to have to, one thing that must transfer over right into the ultimate two games.Pelton: On the other hand, I assume the firing is also main reason to believe there is actually yet another equipment for the USA girls. Together, the 12 players on the lineup have actually combined to fire thirty three% on 3-point tries in the WNBA this time. That won't get a "Sprinkle Sis" label at any time soon, but it's additionally much better than Team U.S.A. has actually taken care of from the much shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are overdue to heat from long array. Keep an eye out if they lastly do.