.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers females's college basketball as well as the WNBA.Recently covered UConn and also the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate and Baltimore native with additional take in at the Dallas Morning News, Seattle Times and Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Elderly Person Author Co-author, Pro Baseball Program collection.Previously a professional with the Indiana Pacers.Developed WARP rating and also SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo global competitors will reunite on Friday, as the USA ladies's baseball group goes up against the Australian Opals along with a location in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold award suit on the line.Team U.S.A., which is using a streak of 59 successive Olympic victories, developed to the semifinals along with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Adhering to an upset reduction to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung with each other 3 upright triumphes, consisting of Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal selection over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the U.S. girls have actually been actually the gold criterion for baseball throughout the world, succeeding 7 consecutive Olympic gold awards and nine general, Australia has actually been a famous giant along with them. The Opals have actually medaled in five of recent seven Summer Games, taking home 3 silvers and two bronze, although their semifinal run in Paris denotes the very first time they've developed past the quarterfinals considering that the 2012 London Video games.2012 likewise was the last opportunity the fabulous Lauren Jackson wore on the Olympic phase for the eco-friendly and gold-- previously. While Staff U.S.A. has 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals have Jackson, 43, showing up in her fifth Games as well as initially in 12 years. Jackson has always medaled in the competition, and also though she has actually seen limited activity thus far in France, she has an opportunity to continue that touch this weekend.Australia-- which includes 6 energetic WNBA players-- has loads of drive, yet the Opals are 0-20 all time against the U.S. elderly national staff, featuring 0-8 in Olympic competitors. During the 5 Games through which they medaled, Australia shed to the united state either in the semifinals or even the gold medal competition. The squads last complied with in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and also Kevin Pelton break a few of journalism concerns heading in to the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credits Jackie Youthful for jump-starting Team USABreanna Stewart speaks with Brian Windhorst after Crew U.S.A.'s 14-point draw Nigeria to progress to the semifinals.Team United States switched over up its starting five versus Nigeria, along with Jackie Young instead of Diana Taurasi. Did the relocation correct its own issues in the backcourt?Philippou: Starting Young instead of Taurasi-- who had final go over the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the right technique. Along with 15 points against Nigeria, Young appears to be carving out a job as Staff U.S.A.'s 3rd scorer responsible for A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. (Definitely, Youthful is the only various other U.S. gamer balancing dual figures at 10.3 points per video game.) Young, some of 3 Las Vegas Aces players in the beginning 5, displayed her 3-point capturing previously against Germany, going 5-of-8. However while she went scoreless from deeper on Wednesday, it was her ability to receive downhill and also reach coming from midrange that attracted attention, alongside her trademark protection in the backcourt. It took until the middle of the 2nd quarter for the U.S. to definitely put its own feet on the gasoline against Nigeria, yet Youthful's aggressiveness and also energy on both ends need to remain to pay dividends. And also Taurasi seemed to be to perform well off the seat, where she stepped up as a facilitator along with four assists.Pelton: I 'd really love to view beginning point guard Chelsea Gray be a hazard to score. She missed all three of her shot tries in the quarterfinals, delivering Gray to 1-of-13 so far throughout the Olympics. Amazingly, the U.S. outscored Nigeria by only pair of factors in Gray's 17:27, while all four various other beginners possessed a plus-minus of plus-17 or better while on the court.Still, as I pointed out in our final roundtable, the united state females can get over one non-scorer in the starting five such a long time as she is bringing something else to the table. And also Gray is actually along with her playmaking, having right now totaled 22 supports against only 3 turnovers. Thus, I don't assume coach Cheryl Reeve needs to have to create further changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE by means of Getty ImagesWhat complications carry out the Australians position, as well as what might create all of them a tough matchup?Top tales of the week from Receive special access to lots of fee write-ups a year from top article writers. u2022 Solak: Interesting NFL QB student lesson "u2022 MLB: Legendary AL MVP battle, other honors "u2022 25 crucial gamers in CFP race" Even more ESPN+ information ".Philippou: WNBA supporters will certainly be actually effectively familiar with this Opals squad, which features the Seattle Hurricane's Ezi Magbegor as well as Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Smith, Los Angeles Sparks' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne and Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus Nyc Freedom coach Sandy Brondello responsible. Not merely do the Opals have the ability to compete versus Team United States. They possess drive and resolve following their disappointing beginning to the Olympics. Brondello has actually been pleased with her staff's grace as well as guts over recent full week, two top qualities a rival needs to have when encountering the Americans.The Opals, whose balanced assault flaunts five gamers averaging at least 8.0 PPG, can easily hurt foes inside along with Magbegor as well as Smith however also from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the greatest in the Olympic industry and considerably higher than Group United States's modest 30.8%. Whitcomb and also Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while with the Sin City Aces, lead the staff along with eight as well as seven treys, respectively.Pelton: Theoretically, Australia is deeper and more gifted than any type of staff in the business save for the united state girls. We can easily discuss the most effective international player at the Paris Gamings, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and Satou Sabally (Germany) as powerful prospects. But no group has a pair of gamers comparable to the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and Smith, both of whom would certainly possess performed my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was not named to the team this period even with similar production.) And also no team outside the united state possesses almost as a lot WNBA experience throughout its own roster.Given everything skill, it was surprising when Australia shed its own opening video game to Nigeria at that point barely trump winless Canada. In their past 2 games, we've observed the Opals our experts counted on, as they trump outdoed France to advance to the knockout phase and led Serbia by as numerous as 28 in a lopsided quarterfinal victory.A' Ja dishes to Stewie for 3. LeBron authorizes. USA Network and also Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can anybody cease Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. Yet if any individual is visiting have all of them, it's the duo of Magbegor and also Johnson. Australia's message players position second (Magbegor, 2.4) and also 4th (Johnson, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every activity and also possess the mobility to stand up for Stewart and also Wilson on the boundary. Magbegor is actually especially experienced against each challengers, having actually faced Stewart virtual for three years as Hurricane colleagues and also compared with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The greatest obstacle for Magbegor as well as Johnson is actually repulsive difficulty. Magbegor picked up three first-half fouls against Canada, and Smith possessed pair of in the very first one-fourth versus France, restricting their minutes. Back-up George is a difficult, skillful player (she racked up 18 points in 24 moments versus Serbia) however nowhere near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton raises a legitimate concern. However offered the encounter Stewart and also Wilson contend this stage-- Stewart is actually selecting her 3rd Olympic gold and Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor as well as Johnson are actually appearing in their 1st Video games-- I will expect the Team United States incredibly duo to produce the winning participates in required in such a high-pressure scenario to breakthrough to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France as well as Belgium would be actually a tougher challenger for Crew USA?Pelton: I am actually picking Belgium, which offered the USA ladies their hardest Olympic test yet. The Americans prevailed by 13 points, although the margin was actually simply seven getting in the 4th quarter of a group phase activity played in Lille, France, near the edge with Belgium. All this despite Belgium going just 5-of-27 in 3-point shooting, with Julie Vanloo particularly struggling from downtown while overlooking 10 of her 11 efforts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 coming from 3, racking up thirteen points with 7 aids (albeit along with 9 turnovers) as Belgium navigated previous Spain, the simply various other staff besides the united state that was actually unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the bunch nation along with the group on its edge and plenty of take pride in vulnerable, a difficult defensive team in France wouldn't be actually a piece of cake, either, especially if Marine Johannes can easily blow up like she performed versus Germany with 24 points off the seat and also with Gabby Williams breaking the ice on each ends.Has Group United States played its finest basketball yet?Philippou: In-game consistency, particularly on offense, may still be a problem. There are actually opportunities when the shortage of playing opportunity with each other or even Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is actually still apparent. Nevertheless, there's a reason why Sue Bird just recently pointed out on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that USA Basketball is the absolute most uneasy baseball she has ever before participated in. After a little a slow begin, the united state at some point led by 30 in the 3rd one-fourth versus Nigeria, yet Reeve could not have loved just how her crew made it possible for the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point game before the last buzzer. With four activities, the Americans' absence of 3-point firing have not really been actually solved, which might be an issue if opponents fume coming from deep.Team U.S.A. can't disregard some of the continuing to be teams in the field, however with a protective identification as well as aggressive prowess led by Stewart as well as Wilson, it has revealed it may put activities away when it needs to, one thing that needs to move over in to the ultimate pair of games.Pelton: On the other side, I believe the capturing is also cause to feel there's yet another equipment for the USA girls. Collectively, the 12 gamers on the lineup have actually incorporated to shoot 33% on 3-point efforts in the WNBA this season. That won't gain a "Sprinkle Sis" nickname whenever very soon, but it is actually also far better than Crew USA has dealt with from the shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually overdue to heat from long array. Keep an eye out if they ultimately carry out.