.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers ladies's university basketball and the WNBA.Formerly dealt with UConn and also the WNBA Connecticut Sunlight for the Hartford Courant.Stanford grad and Baltimore indigenous along with additional experience at the Dallas Morning News, Seat Moments and Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Writer Co-author, Pro Baseball Prospectus set.In the past a specialist with the Indiana Pacers.Established WARP score and SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo international opponents will reunite on Friday, as the USA girls's baseball staff faces the Australian Opals with a spot in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold medal suit on the line.Team United States, which is actually using a touch of 59 successive Olympic triumphes, advanced to the semifinals along with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Observing a distressed loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung together 3 upright victories, including Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal selection over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the U.S. girls have actually been the gold requirement for basketball throughout the world, gaining 7 successive Olympic gold awards and nine overall, Australia has been actually a historic goliath alongside them. The Opals have actually medaled in 5 of the past 7 Summertimes Games, taking home three silvers as well as pair of bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris denotes the very first time they have actually developed past the quarterfinals due to the fact that the 2012 London Games.2012 likewise was the last time the epic Lauren Jackson dressed on the Olympic phase for the environment-friendly and also gold-- previously. While Group USA possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals have Jackson, 43, showing up in her fifth Video games and also first in 12 years. Jackson has regularly medaled in the competitors, as well as though she has actually found minimal activity until now in France, she has a chance to continue that streak this weekend.Australia-- which boasts 6 active WNBA gamers-- possesses a lot of drive, but the Opals are actually 0-20 all time versus the U.S. elderly national group, consisting of 0-8 in Olympic competitors. Throughout the 5 Video games in which they medaled, Australia dropped to the U.S. either in the semifinals or the gold medal contest. The teams final fulfilled in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou as well as Kevin Pelton break down a few of journalism inquiries moving right into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit histories Jackie Young for jump-starting Crew USABreanna Stewart speaks along with Brian Windhorst after Group USA's 14-point draw Nigeria to advance to the semifinals.Team USA changed up its starting 5 against Nigeria, with Jackie Young in place of Diana Taurasi. Carried out the relocation correct its issues in the backcourt?Philippou: Starting Youthful in place of Taurasi-- that possessed last go over the bench at the Olympics in 2004-- was the best step. With 15 points against Nigeria, Youthful seems carving out a job as Team United States's 3rd scorer behind A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. (Without A Doubt, Youthful is actually the merely other united state player balancing dual designs at 10.3 points per activity.) Young, among three Las Vegas Aces players in the starting 5, showed off her 3-point capturing earlier versus Germany, going 5-of-8. But while she went scoreless coming from deeper on Wednesday, it was her capability to get downhill and hit coming from midrange that stood apart, alongside her hallmark protection in the backcourt. It took up until the middle of the 2nd fourth for the united state to actually place its feet on the gas against Nigeria, however Youthful's aggressiveness and energy on each ends ought to remain to pay dividends. As well as Taurasi seemed to be to perform well off the seat, where she boosted as a facilitator with four assists.Pelton: I 'd enjoy to find starting point player Chelsea Gray be a danger to rating. She missed out on all 3 of her chance attempts in the quarterfinals, delivering Gray to 1-of-13 up until now in the course of the Olympics. Incredibly, the USA outscored Nigeria by just pair of factors in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 various other beginners had a plus-minus of plus-17 or even better while on the court.Still, as I pointed out in our last roundtable, the united state females can overcome one non-scorer in the beginning five as long as she is delivering another thing to the table. And Gray is with her playmaking, having now completed 22 aids against merely 3 turn overs. So, I do not believe trainer Cheryl Reeve needs to make more changes.Photo through Garrett Ellwood/NBAE using Getty ImagesWhat concerns carry out the Australians posture, as well as what can create all of them a challenging matchup?Top tales of the full week from Acquire unique accessibility to countless superior articles a year from leading authors. u2022 Solak: Appealing NFL QB student training class "u2022 MLB: Legendary AL MVP fight, other awards "u2022 25 essential players in CFP nationality" Even more ESPN+ content ".Philippou: WNBA supporters will definitely be actually well knowledgeable about this Opals squad, which features the Seattle Tornado's Ezi Magbegor as well as Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Smith, Los Angeles Stimulates' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne and also Indiana High temperature's Kristy Wallace, plus The big apple Right coach Sandy Brondello responsible. Certainly not only do the Opals possess the ability to contend against Crew USA. They have momentum as well as willpower following their unsatisfactory beginning to the Olympics. Brondello has actually been satisfied with her group's grace and also guts over recent week, two premiums a challenger needs to have when facing the Americans.The Opals, whose balanced assault includes five gamers averaging a minimum of 8.0 PPG, may hurt adversaries inside with Magbegor and also Johnson but additionally coming from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the very best in the Olympic area and also much greater than Group USA's paltry 30.8%. Whitcomb and also Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champ while along with the Las Vegas Aces, lead the team with eight and 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: Theoretically, Australia is actually deeper as well as extra skilled than any group in the field save for the USA ladies. We can easily question the most effective global player at the Paris Gamings, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and also Satou Sabally (Germany) as solid applicants. But no crew possesses a pair of gamers as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and also Smith, each of whom would certainly possess gotten on my WNBA Dream team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was actually not named to the crew this season regardless of similar development.) And no group outside the united state has virtually as a lot WNBA experience throughout its own roster.Given everything ability, it was actually astonishing when Australia shed its own opening activity to Nigeria then hardly trump winless Canada. In their past 2 games, our experts've found the Opals our experts expected, as they beat exceeded France to advance to the knockout stage and also led Serbia by as several as 28 in an unequal quarterfinal victory.A' Ja meals to Stewie for 3. LeBron accepts. U.S.A. Network as well as Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 May any person quit Breanna Stewart as well as A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. But if anybody is actually heading to contain all of them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor as well as Johnson. Australia's post gamers rate 2nd (Magbegor, 2.4) and also 4th (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every activity and also have the wheelchair to stand up for Stewart and Wilson on the border. Magbegor is actually specifically experienced against each opponents, having actually encountered Stewart virtual for 3 years as Tornado colleagues and also matched up with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The biggest barrier for Magbegor as well as Smith is nasty issue. Magbegor got 3 first-half fouls against Canada, as well as Johnson possessed pair of in the 1st quarter versus France, confining their mins. Data backup George is actually a tough, competent player (she racked up 18 points in 24 moments against Serbia) yet no place near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up an authentic problem. But provided the experience Stewart as well as Wilson have at this phase-- Stewart is actually going with her 3rd Olympic gold and also Wilson her second, while Magbegor and also Smith are actually showing up in their initial Gamings-- I would certainly anticipate the Crew United States extremely duo to create the winning participates in required in such a stressful situation to advance to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and also Belgium would certainly be a more durable challenger for Staff USA?Pelton: I'm picking Belgium, which provided the united state ladies their toughest Olympic exam yet. The Americans dominated by thirteen aspects, although the frame was actually simply 7 getting into the fourth quarter of a team phase game played in Lille, France, near the edge with Belgium. All this regardless of Belgium going only 5-of-27 in 3-point capturing, with Julie Vanloo especially struggling from downtown while missing out on 10 of her 11 attempts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point guard went 3-of-5 from 3, scoring thirteen aspects with 7 aids (albeit along with 9 turn overs) as Belgium travelled previous Spain, the only other crew besides the united state that was actually unbeaten in pool play.Philippou: As the multitude nation along with the group on its edge and a lot of satisfaction on the line, a tough protective group in France wouldn't be a piece of cake, either, particularly if Marine Johannes can easily go off like she performed versus Germany along with 24 aspects off the bench and also along with Gabby Williams leading the way on each ends.Has Team U.S.A. played its ideal basketball yet?Philippou: In-game uniformity, particularly on offense, can still be a concern. There are actually times when the absence of playing time all together or even Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is actually still obvious. After all, there is actually a reason why Sue Bird recently mentioned on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that United States Baseball is the best annoying baseball she has ever played. After a little bit of a sluggish beginning, the U.S. ultimately led by 30 in the 3rd quarter against Nigeria, however Reeve couldn't have liked how her staff enabled the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point video game just before the final buzzer. Via 4 games, the Americans' lack of 3-point capturing hasn't actually been solved, which may be a problem if opponents fume coming from deep.Team USA can't disregard any of the staying groups in the field, yet with a defensive identification as well as offensive prowess led through Stewart and Wilson, it has actually shown it can place games away when it needs to have to, something that ought to move over in to the last two games.Pelton: On the other side, I think the capturing is actually also reason to feel there is actually another equipment for the USA women. Together, the 12 gamers on the roster have integrated to fire thirty three% on 3-point attempts in the WNBA this period. That won't get a "Sprinkle Sis" nickname whenever soon, but it's also much better than Staff U.S.A. has taken care of coming from the briefer 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and also Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually outstanding to warm up coming from lengthy range. Watch out if they ultimately do.