.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers girls's university basketball and the WNBA.Earlier dealt with UConn and the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant.Stanford grad and Baltimore indigenous along with more encounter at the Dallas Early Morning Updates, Seattle Moments as well as Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Elderly Person Author Co-author, Pro Basketball Program series.Previously a professional along with the Indiana Pacers.Built WARP score and also SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo worldwide competitors will definitely meet again on Friday, as the USA women's baseball staff goes up against the Australian Opals along with a location in the 2024 Paris Gamings' gold award match on the line.Team United States, which is actually using a touch of 59 successive Olympic success, improved to the semifinals with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Following an upset loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung all together three upright success, including Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal decision over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the united state women have actually been actually the gold criterion for basketball around the planet, winning seven consecutive Olympic gold awards and also nine overall, Australia has been a famous giant alongside all of them. The Opals have medaled in five of recent seven Summer seasons Games, take away 3 silvers and two bronze, although their semifinal run in Paris notes the very first time they have actually developed past the quarterfinals due to the fact that the 2012 Greater london Video games.2012 also was actually the last time the epic Lauren Jackson wore on the Olympic stage for the environment-friendly and also gold-- previously. While Group United States possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, seeming in her fifth Games as well as initially in 12 years. Jackson has consistently medaled in the competitors, as well as though she has found minimal activity until now in France, she possesses a chance to continue that streak this weekend.Australia-- which boasts 6 energetic WNBA players-- has a lot of momentum, yet the Opals are 0-20 perpetuity against the united state elderly nationwide team, including 0-8 in Olympic competitors. In the course of the five Video games in which they medaled, Australia lost to the USA either in the semifinals or the gold award competition. The teams final fulfilled in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and also Kevin Pelton break a few of the pressing concerns heading right into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit scores Jackie Youthful for jump-starting Group USABreanna Stewart talks with Brian Windhorst after Crew United States's 14-point sway Nigeria to accelerate to the semifinals.Team USA shifted up its starting five versus Nigeria, along with Jackie Youthful instead of Diana Taurasi. Performed the move repair its own issues in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Youthful in place of Taurasi-- that had last go over the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was the appropriate action. Along with 15 factors versus Nigeria, Youthful looks carving out a part as Staff United States's third marker responsible for A'ja Wilson and also Breanna Stewart. (Certainly, Youthful is actually the only other USA player balancing double figures at 10.3 factors per activity.) Youthful, one of 3 Sin city Aces players in the beginning five, displayed her 3-point firing earlier versus Germany, going 5-of-8. But while she went scoreless from deep on Wednesday, it was her ability to acquire downhill and also strike coming from midrange that stood apart, alongside her trademark protection in the backcourt. It took up until the middle of the second one-fourth for the U.S. to definitely place its feet on the gas versus Nigeria, yet Young's hostility and also electricity on each ends should continue to pay dividends. As well as Taurasi seemed to be to carry out effectively off the bench, where she boosted as a company with 4 assists.Pelton: I would certainly enjoy to observe starting point guard Chelsea Gray be a threat to credit rating. She missed out on all 3 of her chance tries in the quarterfinals, delivering Gray to 1-of-13 up until now during the course of the Olympics. Incredibly, the USA outscored Nigeria through only 2 points in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 various other starters possessed a plus-minus of plus-17 or even better while on the court.Still, as I mentioned in our last roundtable, the U.S. ladies may conquer one non-scorer in the starting five so long as she is actually delivering something else to the table. And also Gray is actually with her playmaking, having actually right now totaled 22 helps against only 3 turnovers. Therefore, I do not think trainer Cheryl Reeve requires to make more changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE by means of Getty ImagesWhat complications perform the Australians position, and also what could make them a difficult matchup?Top accounts of the week from Get exclusive access to 1000s of premium short articles a year coming from leading authors. u2022 Solak: Fascinating NFL QB student class "u2022 MLB: Epic AL MVP war, various other awards "u2022 25 crucial gamers in CFP ethnicity" Even more ESPN+ information ".Philippou: WNBA fans will definitely be properly accustomed to this Opals team, which includes the Seattle Tornado's Ezi Magbegor and also Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Smith, Los Angeles Sparks' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne and also Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus The big apple Liberty train Sandy Brondello responsible. Not only perform the Opals have the skill to compete versus Team USA. They possess momentum as well as resolve observing their disappointing beginning to the Olympics. Brondello has been actually felt free to along with her team's grace and guts over recent week, pair of premiums a challenger requires when experiencing the Americans.The Opals, whose balanced assault boasts 5 gamers averaging at the very least 8.0 PPG, can harm adversaries inside along with Magbegor and Johnson yet also coming from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the greatest in the Olympic industry as well as a lot more than Staff U.S.A.'s modest 30.8%. Whitcomb as well as Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while with the Sin City Aces, lead the team along with eight as well as 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: Theoretically, Australia is actually much deeper as well as much more talented than any group in the business except for the U.S. ladies. Our company may dispute the most ideal international gamer at the Paris Games, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and Satou Sabally (Germany) as powerful prospects. But no group possesses a set of players like the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and Johnson, both of whom would possess performed my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was actually certainly not named to the staff this time even with comparable creation.) And no staff outside the united state has almost as much WNBA adventure throughout its own roster.Given the only thing that skill, it was surprising when Australia dropped its position video game to Nigeria at that point hardly beat winless Canada. In their past 2 activities, our company have actually observed the Opals we counted on, as they beat topped France to advance to the knockout stage and also led Serbia through as several as 28 in a lopsided quarterfinal victory.A' Ja meals to Stewie for three. LeBron approves. United States System and also Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 May anyone quit Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. Yet if any person is visiting include them, it's the duo of Magbegor as well as Johnson. Australia's blog post gamers place second (Magbegor, 2.4) as well as 4th (Johnson, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every video game and possess the movement to stand up for Stewart and also Wilson on the border. Magbegor is particularly experienced against both challengers, having encountered Stewart virtual for three years as Storm teammates and compared with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The biggest barrier for Magbegor and also Smith is actually repulsive issue. Magbegor grabbed three first-half fouls against Canada, as well as Smith had two in the initial quarter versus France, confining their minutes. Back-up George is actually a tough, competent gamer (she racked up 18 aspects in 24 minutes versus Serbia) yet no place near as sports on defense.Philippou: Pelton raises a legitimate concern. But offered the encounter Stewart as well as Wilson contend this stage-- Stewart is going with her third Olympic gold as well as Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor as well as Johnson are actually seeming in their 1st Video games-- I 'd count on the Team USA extremely duo to produce the winning plays necessary in such a high-pressure scenario to development to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and also Belgium will be a tougher enemy for Crew USA?Pelton: I am actually selecting Belgium, which offered the united state girls their most difficult Olympic examination however. The Americans dominated through thirteen aspects, although the frame was actually simply 7 entering into the fourth one-fourth of a group phase activity played in Lille, France, near the border along with Belgium. All this despite Belgium going just 5-of-27 in 3-point capturing, with Julie Vanloo specifically struggling coming from downtown while skipping 10 of her 11 efforts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 from 3, racking up 13 points with 7 assists (albeit along with 9 turn overs) as Belgium navigated past Spain, the just various other staff besides the USA that was unbeaten in pool play.Philippou: As the multitude nation along with the crowd on its own edge as well as loads of take pride in on the line, a challenging defensive crew in France wouldn't be actually a piece of cake, either, specifically if Marine Johannes may go off like she did against Germany with 24 factors off the seat and along with Gabby Williams breaking the ice on each ends.Has Crew USA played its own best basketball yet?Philippou: In-game consistency, specifically on offense, may still be actually a concern. There are actually times when the shortage of playing opportunity together or Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is actually still apparent. After all, there is actually a reason that Sue Bird recently said on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that U.S.A. Baseball is one of the most uncomfortable baseball she has actually ever before participated in. After a bit of a slow beginning, the USA at some point led through 30 in the third one-fourth against Nigeria, yet Reeve couldn't have actually loved exactly how her group permitted the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point game before the final buzzer. With four activities, the Americans' shortage of 3-point firing hasn't really been actually fixed, which could be a concern if rivals get hot coming from deep.Team United States can't disregard some of the staying staffs in the business, but with a protective identification and offensive adeptness led through Stewart as well as Wilson, it has shown it can put games away when it needs to have to, something that needs to transmit over into the last pair of games.Pelton: On the flip side, I assume the firing is also reason to strongly believe there is actually one more equipment for the united state women. Collectively, the 12 players on the lineup have actually combined to shoot thirty three% on 3-point attempts in the WNBA this season. That won't gain a "Splash Siblings" label whenever very soon, but it is actually likewise better than Crew U.S.A. 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 heat coming from long array. Keep an eye out if they eventually carry out.