.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers girls's college basketball as well as the WNBA.Previously dealt with UConn and the WNBA Connecticut Sunlight for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate and also Baltimore native with more take in at the Dallas Morning Headlines, Seat Times and also Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Elderly Person Author Co-author, Pro Baseball Prospectus series.Previously a specialist with the Indiana Pacers.Built WARP ranking as well as SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo worldwide rivals will reunite on Friday, as the USA ladies's baseball crew confronts the Australian Opals with an area in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold medal suit on the line.Team U.S.A., which is using a touch of 59 successive Olympic wins, advanced to the semifinals along with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Adhering to a dismayed reduction to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung all together 3 upright triumphes, including Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal decision over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the united state girls have actually been actually the gold specification for baseball around the globe, succeeding seven consecutive Olympic gold medals as well as nine overall, Australia has actually been actually a historic giant along with all of them. The Opals have medaled in 5 of the past seven Summer seasons Video games, take away 3 silvers and also pair of bronze, although their semifinal run in Paris denotes the first time they have actually improved past the quarterfinals because the 2012 London Gamings.2012 likewise was actually the last time the legendary Lauren Jackson wore on the Olympic stage for the green and gold-- until now. While Team U.S.A. has 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals have Jackson, 43, seeming in her fifth Video games and also first in 12 years. Jackson has always medaled in the competitors, and also though she has actually observed minimal activity until now in France, she possesses an opportunity to continue that touch this weekend.Australia-- which boasts six active WNBA gamers-- has loads of momentum, but the Opals are actually 0-20 all time against the USA senior national staff, consisting of 0-8 in Olympic competitors. In the course of the five Gamings through which they medaled, Australia dropped to the united state either in the semifinals or even the gold award contest. The squads final complied with in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and also Kevin Pelton break down a number of journalism inquiries moving right into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit histories Jackie Youthful for jump-starting Staff USABreanna Stewart speaks along with Brian Windhorst after Team U.S.A.'s 14-point win over Nigeria to accelerate to the semifinals.Team USA switched up its starting 5 against Nigeria, along with Jackie Young instead of Diana Taurasi. Did the action repair its concerns in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Young in place of Taurasi-- that had final go over the bench at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the correct action. With 15 factors versus Nigeria, Youthful appears to be carving out a part as Team United States's 3rd marker responsible for A'ja Wilson as well as Breanna Stewart. (Definitely, Youthful is the only other united state gamer balancing double designs at 10.3 aspects every game.) Young, one of 3 Las Vegas Aces gamers in the starting 5, showed off her 3-point shooting earlier versus Germany, going 5-of-8. But while she went scoreless from deeper on Wednesday, it was her potential to get downhill and attack coming from midrange that stood apart, together with her hallmark defense in the backcourt. It took up until the middle of the 2nd quarter for the USA to definitely place its feet on the fuel versus Nigeria, but Young's aggressiveness and electricity on both ends ought to continue to pay dividends. And also Taurasi seemed to be to accomplish effectively off the seat, where she boosted as a facilitator along with 4 assists.Pelton: I will enjoy to observe starting point player Chelsea Gray be a hazard to rating. She skipped all 3 of her go attempts in the quarterfinals, taking Gray to 1-of-13 until now throughout the Olympics. Incredibly, the U.S. outscored Nigeria by only pair of aspects in Gray's 17:27, while all four 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 U.S. women can easily get over one non-scorer in the beginning 5 such a long time as she is actually carrying another thing to the desk. And also Gray is actually with her playmaking, having now completed 22 aids versus only 3 turnovers. Thus, I do not presume train Cheryl Reeve requires to create additional changes.Photo through Garrett Ellwood/NBAE by means of Getty ImagesWhat troubles do the Australians pose, and what could create them a challenging matchup?Top accounts of the week coming from Obtain exclusive access to hundreds of fee short articles a year from leading writers. u2022 Solak: Fascinating NFL QB sophomore course "u2022 MLB: Epic AL MVP war, other awards "u2022 25 essential gamers in CFP nationality" More ESPN+ information ".Philippou: WNBA followers are going to be actually effectively knowledgeable about this Opals team, which includes the Seat Hurricane's Ezi Magbegor as well as Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Stimulates' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Baggage Melbourne as well as Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus Nyc Liberty train Sandy Brondello responsible. Not simply perform the Opals possess the talent to contend versus Team United States. They have drive and also willpower observing their frustrating beginning to the Olympics. Brondello has actually been felt free to with her team's grace as well as grit over the past week, 2 qualities a rival requires when dealing with the Americans.The Opals, whose balanced assault includes 5 players balancing at least 8.0 PPG, can easily injure foes inside with Magbegor and also Smith yet likewise coming from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the very best in the Olympic area and a lot higher than Staff USA's tiny 30.8%. Whitcomb and also Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champ while with the Sin City Aces, lead the staff with eight and 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: Theoretically, Australia is deeper and also even more accomplished than any type of group in the field barring the united state girls. Our company may debate the very best international player at the Paris Games, with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and also Satou Sabally (Germany) as sturdy prospects. However no group possesses a pair of gamers comparable to the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and also Smith, both of whom would certainly have been on my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was actually certainly not named to the group this period even with comparable creation.) As well as no staff outside the USA possesses virtually as a lot WNBA expertise throughout its own roster.Given the only thing that ability, it was actually surprising when Australia lost its own opening activity to Nigeria then hardly defeat winless Canada. In their past pair of games, our team've observed the Opals our experts expected, as they trump topped France to develop to the knockout stage and also led Serbia through as several as 28 in an unbalanced quarterfinal victory.A' Ja meals to Stewie for 3. LeBron authorizes. U.S.A. Network as well as Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can easily anyone quit Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. But if any person is actually mosting likely to have all of them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor and Johnson. Australia's article players rank second (Magbegor, 2.4) and also 4th (Johnson, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks per video game and also have the wheelchair to stand up for Stewart and Wilson on the perimeter. Magbegor is actually specifically experienced against each enemies, having actually faced Stewart virtual for 3 years as Hurricane teammates as well as paired up with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The largest challenge for Magbegor as well as Smith is actually filthy issue. Magbegor picked up three first-half fouls against Canada, as well as Johnson possessed pair of in the 1st quarter versus France, restricting their mins. Backup George is a hard, trained player (she racked up 18 points in 24 minutes against Serbia) however nowhere near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up a valid issue. Yet given the experience Stewart as well as Wilson contend this stage-- Stewart is going for her third Olympic gold and Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor and also Johnson are appearing in their very first Games-- I 'd anticipate the Crew USA super duo to produce the winning participates in required in such a high-pressure circumstance to development 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 united state ladies their hardest Olympic exam yet. The Americans prevailed by 13 factors, although the margin was merely 7 entering into the 4th one-fourth of a team phase video game played in Lille, France, near the border with Belgium. All this even with Belgium going merely 5-of-27 in 3-point firing, with Julie Vanloo especially struggling coming from midtown while skipping 10 of her 11 efforts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point guard went 3-of-5 coming from 3, racking up thirteen factors with 7 aids (albeit along with 9 turn overs) as Belgium travelled previous Spain, the simply various other team besides the united state that was unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the lot nation with the group on its own side as well as a lot of satisfaction on the line, a hard defensive crew in France would not be actually a piece of cake, either, specifically if Marine Johannes can easily blow up like she carried out against Germany along with 24 aspects off the seat and also with Gabby Williams leading the way on each ends.Has Crew U.S.A. played its finest basketball yet?Philippou: In-game consistency, specifically on offense, can still be a concern. There are actually opportunities when the absence of playing time with each other or Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is actually still noticeable. Nevertheless, there is actually a reason why Sue Bird recently said on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that USA Baseball is actually the most awkward basketball she has actually ever played. After a little bit of a slow-moving start, the USA ultimately led through 30 in the third fourth against Nigeria, however Reeve could not have actually enjoyed how her group permitted the D'Tigress to make it a 14-point video game before the ultimate buzzer. Through 4 activities, the Americans' shortage of 3-point firing have not definitely been corrected, which might be an issue if enemies get hot coming from deep.Team U.S.A. can't overlook any of the continuing to be staffs in the field, yet with a defensive identity and offensive prowess led by Stewart and Wilson, it has revealed it can easily put games away when it requires to, one thing that should move over right into the last pair of games.Pelton: On the other side, I assume the shooting is actually also main reason to think there is actually one more equipment for the united state ladies. Collectively, the 12 gamers on the roster have integrated to shoot 33% on 3-point efforts in the WNBA this time. That won't get a "Dash Sis" label any time quickly, however it is actually likewise better than Crew U.S.A. has actually managed coming from the shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and also Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are overdue to warm coming from long variation. Watch out if they finally carry out.