.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers females's college baseball and also the WNBA.Formerly dealt with UConn and also the WNBA Connecticut Sunshine for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate as well as Baltimore native along with further encounter at the Dallas Morning Information, Seattle Times and Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Writer Co-author, Pro Baseball Program series.Previously an expert along with the Indiana Pacers.Created WARP score and SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo global rivals will certainly meet again on Friday, as the USA girls's basketball group goes up against the Australian Opals along with a spot in the 2024 Paris Games' gold award suit on the line.Team USA, which is riding a streak of 59 consecutive Olympic wins, improved to the semifinals with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Following a distressed reduction to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung with each other 3 upright success, including Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal choice over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the USA girls have actually been actually the gold criterion for baseball across the planet, winning 7 consecutive Olympic gold awards and also 9 overall, Australia has actually been actually a famous giant alongside all of them. The Opals have actually medaled in 5 of recent seven Summertimes Gamings, take away three silvers as well as two bronze, although their semifinal run in Paris denotes the very first time they've improved past the quarterfinals given that the 2012 London Gamings.2012 likewise was actually the last opportunity the legendary Lauren Jackson wore on the Olympic phase for the eco-friendly as well as gold-- until now. While Staff United States has 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, seeming in her fifth Games and also to begin with in 12 years. Jackson has regularly medaled in the competitors, and though she has observed restricted activity thus far in France, she possesses a chance to proceed that touch this weekend.Australia-- which boasts six energetic WNBA players-- possesses lots of energy, yet the Opals are actually 0-20 perpetuity versus the U.S. elderly national group, including 0-8 in Olympic competitors. During the five Gamings through which they medaled, Australia dropped to the U.S. either in the semifinals or even the gold medal competition. The teams last complied with in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou as well as Kevin Pelton break down several of journalism concerns moving in to the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit scores Jackie Young for jump-starting Staff USABreanna Stewart chats along with Brian Windhorst after Team USA's 14-point gain Nigeria to accelerate to the semifinals.Team U.S.A. switched up its own beginning 5 versus Nigeria, along with Jackie Youthful instead of Diana Taurasi. Did the technique repair its own concerns in the backcourt?Philippou: Starting Youthful instead of Taurasi-- that possessed last come off the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the ideal relocation. With 15 factors against Nigeria, Young seems carving out a job as Crew USA's third scorer behind A'ja Wilson and also Breanna Stewart. (Indeed, Youthful is the merely other USA player balancing dual figures at 10.3 points every activity.) Young, some of 3 Las Vegas Aces players in the starting 5, displayed her 3-point shooting previously against Germany, going 5-of-8. Yet while she went scoreless coming from deeper on Wednesday, it was her potential to obtain downhill and also strike coming from midrange that stood apart, in addition to her trademark defense in the backcourt. It took till the center of the second fourth for the USA to really put its own feet on the fuel against Nigeria, yet Youthful's hostility and also power on each ends should remain to return. As well as Taurasi seemed to be to carry out well off the bench, where she stepped up as a facilitator with 4 assists.Pelton: I 'd love to see beginning point player Chelsea Gray be actually a threat to credit rating. She skipped all 3 of her shot tries in the quarterfinals, delivering Gray to 1-of-13 until now during the Olympics. Incredibly, the united state outscored Nigeria by merely pair of aspects in Gray's 17:27, while all four various other starters possessed a plus-minus of plus-17 or far better while on the court.Still, as I stated in our final roundtable, the USA ladies can easily get over one non-scorer in the beginning five so long as she is bringing another thing to the table. As well as Gray is along with her playmaking, having actually right now completed 22 aids against simply 3 turnovers. Thus, I don't think train Cheryl Reeve requires to create further changes.Photo through Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty ImagesWhat concerns carry out the Australians pose, as well as what might make all of them a hard matchup?Top stories of the full week from Receive exclusive accessibility to thousands of premium short articles a year coming from leading article writers. u2022 Solak: Appealing NFL QB sophomore class "u2022 MLB: Impressive AL MVP battle, other awards "u2022 25 most important gamers in CFP nationality" Additional ESPN+ material ".Philippou: WNBA fans will certainly be well aware of this Opals squad, which features the Seat Storm's Ezi Magbegor as well as Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Sparks' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne and Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus New york city Right trainer Sandy Brondello responsible. Not just carry out the Opals have the skill to contend against Crew United States. They possess energy as well as resolve observing their frustrating begin to the Olympics. Brondello has actually been felt free to with her staff's grace as well as grit over recent full week, 2 qualities an enemy needs to have when dealing with the Americans.The Opals, whose balanced attack flaunts five gamers averaging at the very least 8.0 PPG, can easily harm opponents inside with Magbegor as well as Johnson however additionally from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the most ideal in the Olympic area and considerably greater than Crew United States's tiny 30.8%. Whitcomb and also Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while with the Sin City Aces, lead the staff along with 8 as well as seven treys, respectively.Pelton: On paper, Australia is actually deeper and much more skilled than any kind of staff in the business barring the U.S. ladies. Our team can easily discuss the greatest global player at the Paris Games, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) as well as Satou Sabally (Germany) as tough candidates. But no team possesses a pair of players comparable to the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor as well as Smith, both of whom would certainly have performed my WNBA Dream team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was actually not named to the crew this season even with comparable production.) As well as no group outside the U.S. possesses virtually as much WNBA expertise throughout its roster.Given everything skill, it was astonishing when Australia shed its own position game to Nigeria after that barely trump winless Canada. In their past pair of activities, our team have actually seen the Opals our experts counted on, as they defeat outdoed France to develop to the knockout stage as well as led Serbia by as several as 28 in an unbalanced quarterfinal victory.A' Ja recipes to Stewie for three. LeBron authorizes. USA System and also Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can easily anyone cease Breanna Stewart as well as A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. Yet if any individual is actually mosting likely to include them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor and also Smith. Australia's blog post players position second (Magbegor, 2.4) as well as 4th (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every video game as well as have the range of motion to speak up for Stewart as well as Wilson on the border. Magbegor is actually specifically experienced versus each enemies, having faced Stewart virtual for three years as Storm teammates as well as paired up with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The greatest barrier for Magbegor and Smith is repulsive trouble. Magbegor got 3 first-half fouls versus Canada, and also Johnson possessed pair of in the very first quarter versus France, restricting their moments. Data backup George is actually a difficult, knowledgeable player (she racked up 18 aspects in 24 moments versus Serbia) but nowhere near as sports on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up a valid concern. But provided the take in Stewart and also Wilson have at this phase-- Stewart is actually choosing her 3rd Olympic gold as well as Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor as well as Johnson are actually looking in their 1st Video games-- I would certainly expect the Group United States incredibly duo to help make the winning plays necessary in such a high-pressure situation to innovation to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France as well as Belgium would be actually a harder enemy for Team USA?Pelton: I'm going with Belgium, which provided the USA girls their most difficult Olympic exam however. The Americans prevailed through 13 aspects, although the frame was actually simply seven entering the fourth one-fourth of a group phase video game played in Lille, France, near the borderline with Belgium. All this regardless of Belgium going only 5-of-27 in 3-point capturing, along with Julie Vanloo specifically having a hard time from midtown while skipping 10 of her 11 efforts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point guard went 3-of-5 coming from 3, scoring thirteen points with seven supports (albeit along with 9 turn overs) as Belgium navigated past Spain, the only other team besides the USA that was actually unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the bunch country with the crowd on its own side and also loads of take pride in vulnerable, a tough defensive team in France definitely would not be a pushover, either, particularly if Marine Johannes may go off like she carried out against Germany along with 24 factors off the bench as well as along with Gabby Williams blazing a trail on both ends.Has Team USA played its ideal basketball yet?Philippou: In-game consistency, particularly on outburst, can easily still be actually an issue. There are opportunities when the shortage of playing opportunity together or Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is actually still evident. Besides, there's a reason why Sue Bird recently mentioned on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that United States Baseball is the best annoying baseball she has ever participated in. After a little bit of a slow beginning, the USA at some point led by 30 in the 3rd one-fourth against Nigeria, but Reeve could not have loved how her group made it possible for the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point game prior to the last buzzer. With four activities, the Americans' shortage of 3-point capturing have not really been fixed, which may be a problem if enemies get hot from deep.Team U.S.A. can't neglect any of the remaining teams in the field, however along with a protective identity and also aggressive expertise led through Stewart and also Wilson, it has actually shown it can easily place activities away when it needs to have to, one thing that ought to transfer over right into the ultimate two games.Pelton: On the flip side, I think the capturing is actually additionally main reason to think there is actually one more gear for the USA ladies. Together, the 12 gamers on the roster have incorporated to shoot thirty three% on 3-point efforts in the WNBA this period. That won't get a "Burst Sisters" label at any time quickly, but it is actually additionally much better than Team United States has handled coming from the shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and also Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually outstanding to warm up from long range. Keep an eye out if they lastly do.