.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers females's college baseball as well as the WNBA.Earlier dealt with UConn and also the WNBA Connecticut Sunlight for the Hartford Courant.Stanford grad and Baltimore indigenous with more take in at the Dallas Morning News, Seat Moments as well as Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Elder Author Co-author, Pro Basketball Syllabus set.Formerly a specialist with the Indiana Pacers.Created WARP score as well as SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo worldwide rivals are going to reunite on Friday, as the USA females's basketball staff confronts the Australian Opals along with a spot in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold award suit on the line.Team USA, which is actually riding a touch of 59 consecutive Olympic wins, developed to the semifinals along with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Following an upset reduction to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung all together three straight success, including Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal selection over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the USA females have actually been the gold criterion for baseball around the planet, succeeding 7 consecutive Olympic gold medals as well as nine overall, Australia has been actually a famous goliath alongside them. The Opals have medaled in 5 of recent 7 Summertimes Video games, take away three silvers and two bronze, although their semifinal run in Paris denotes the very first time they've developed past the quarterfinals because the 2012 Greater london Games.2012 also was the last opportunity the fabulous Lauren Jackson dressed on the Olympic phase for the eco-friendly and gold-- until now. While Crew USA 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 always medaled in the competitors, as well as though she has observed limited action so far in France, she possesses an odds to continue that touch this weekend.Australia-- which includes 6 active WNBA players-- possesses a lot of energy, however the Opals are actually 0-20 perpetuity versus the united state elderly nationwide staff, including 0-8 in Olympic competitors. During the course of the 5 Video games in which they medaled, Australia shed to the USA either in the semifinals or the gold award contest. The teams last satisfied in 2020, when the Americans prevailed 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou as well as Kevin Pelton break down a number of journalism inquiries heading in to the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credits Jackie Young for jump-starting Group USABreanna Stewart chats along with Brian Windhorst after Crew USA's 14-point draw Nigeria to accelerate to the semifinals.Team USA switched over up its beginning five against Nigeria, along with Jackie Young in place of Diana Taurasi. Did the step correct its own issues in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Youthful in place of Taurasi-- who possessed last come off the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was the correct move. With 15 points against Nigeria, Youthful seems carving out a duty as Team United States's 3rd marker responsible for A'ja Wilson as well as Breanna Stewart. (Definitely, Youthful is the just other united state gamer balancing double figures at 10.3 factors every video game.) Young, some of three Sin city Aces players in the beginning five, showed off her 3-point capturing earlier against Germany, going 5-of-8. But while she went scoreless coming from deep-seated on Wednesday, it was her potential to obtain downhill as well as hit from midrange that attracted attention, together with her trademark protection in the backcourt. It took till the center of the second fourth for the U.S. to really place its own feet on the fuel versus Nigeria, however Young's aggressiveness and also energy on each ends should remain to pay dividends. And also Taurasi seemed to be to do effectively off the bench, where she stepped up as a company along with 4 assists.Pelton: I will enjoy to find starting point guard Chelsea Gray be a hazard to credit rating. She overlooked all 3 of her try attempts in the quarterfinals, taking Gray to 1-of-13 so far throughout the Olympics. Extremely, the U.S. outscored Nigeria through simply 2 aspects in Gray's 17:27, while all four various other starters had a plus-minus of plus-17 or even much better while on the court.Still, as I discussed in our last roundtable, the USA ladies can overcome one non-scorer in the beginning five as long as she is actually taking another thing to the table. As well as Gray is actually with her playmaking, having actually today totted 22 helps against simply 3 turnovers. Therefore, I don't presume instructor Cheryl Reeve needs to create further changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty ImagesWhat issues do the Australians position, and also what could make all of them a hard matchup?Top tales of the full week coming from Receive special accessibility to 1000s of fee posts a year coming from top authors. u2022 Solak: Fascinating NFL QB student training class "u2022 MLB: Epic AL MVP war, various other honors "u2022 25 crucial players in CFP nationality" Additional ESPN+ content ".Philippou: WNBA followers will 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 Johnson, Los Angeles Stimulates' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Baggage Melbourne and also Indiana High temperature's Kristy Wallace, plus The big apple Right train Sandy Brondello at the helm. Certainly not merely carry out the Opals have the talent to compete against Crew USA. They possess drive and willpower observing their frustrating start to the Olympics. Brondello has been pleased with her crew's grace and also guts over the past week, two qualities an enemy needs to have when dealing with the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced attack boasts 5 gamers averaging at the very least 8.0 PPG, can injure adversaries inside with Magbegor and also Smith however additionally coming from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the best in the Olympic field and a lot more than Group USA's puny 30.8%. Whitcomb and also Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champ while along with the Sin City Aces, lead the staff along with 8 and seven treys, respectively.Pelton: Abstractly, Australia is actually much deeper as well as more gifted than any sort of staff in the field except for the U.S. girls. We may question the greatest international gamer at the Paris Video Games, with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) as well as Satou Sabally (Germany) as tough prospects. Yet no crew possesses a pair of gamers just as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and Johnson, both of whom would certainly possess been on my WNBA Dream team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was actually certainly not called to the group this time even with similar manufacturing.) And also no staff outside the united state possesses almost as a lot WNBA adventure throughout its own roster.Given the only thing that skill, it was astonishing when Australia lost its own position game to Nigeria at that point rarely trump winless Canada. In their previous pair of activities, we have actually viewed the Opals we counted on, as they beat outdoed France to advance to the knockout phase as well as led Serbia by as a lot of as 28 in an askew quarterfinal victory.A' Ja foods to Stewie for 3. LeBron authorizes. USA Network and also Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 May anyone quit Breanna Stewart as well as A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. But if anyone is actually going to include them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor as well as Smith. Australia's post gamers rank second (Magbegor, 2.4) and fourth (Johnson, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every activity and have the flexibility to defend Stewart and Wilson on the border. Magbegor is specifically experienced against both challengers, having actually experienced Stewart in practice for three years as Storm allies and also paired up along with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The largest hurdle for Magbegor and also Johnson is nasty problem. Magbegor got three first-half fouls versus Canada, and also Johnson possessed 2 in the initial one-fourth versus France, restricting their mins. Back-up George is actually a difficult, experienced gamer (she scored 18 aspects in 24 moments against Serbia) but nowhere near as sports on defense.Philippou: Pelton raises a valid worry. However offered the encounter Stewart and Wilson contend this phase-- Stewart is actually selecting her third Olympic gold and Wilson her second, while Magbegor as well as Johnson are actually appearing in their initial Gamings-- I would certainly expect the Crew United States super duo to produce the winning participates in required in such a high-pressure condition to advance to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and Belgium would be a more durable opponent for Staff USA?Pelton: I'm opting for Belgium, which offered the U.S. ladies their most difficult Olympic exam but. The Americans dominated through 13 factors, although the margin was merely seven entering into the fourth quarter of a group phase activity played in Lille, France, near the edge with Belgium. All this regardless of Belgium going simply 5-of-27 in 3-point firing, with Julie Vanloo especially struggling coming from downtown while overlooking 10 of her 11 efforts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 from 3, scoring thirteen aspects with 7 assists (albeit with 9 turnovers) as Belgium navigated previous Spain, the just other staff besides the U.S. that was actually unbeaten in pool play.Philippou: As the bunch nation with the crowd on its side and also lots of pride vulnerable, a challenging protective crew in France wouldn't be a piece of cake, either, specifically if Marine Johannes can easily go off like she carried out versus Germany along with 24 points off the bench and also along with Gabby Williams blazing a trail on both ends.Has Team United States played its own greatest baseball yet?Philippou: In-game uniformity, specifically on outburst, can easily still be actually a concern. There are opportunities when the shortage of playing time with each other or even Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is still apparent. After all, there is actually a reason that Sue Bird just recently mentioned on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that USA Baseball is one of the most uncomfortable baseball she has ever participated in. After a bit of a slow-moving begin, the USA inevitably led by 30 in the third quarter versus Nigeria, however Reeve could not have actually adored how her crew permitted the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point game before the ultimate buzzer. By means of 4 video games, the Americans' shortage of 3-point firing hasn't definitely been solved, which might be a concern if enemies get hot coming from deep.Team USA can't disregard some of the continuing to be crews in the business, however along with a protective identity as well as offensive expertise led by Stewart as well as Wilson, it has shown it may put activities away when it needs to, something that should transmit over right into the final two games.Pelton: On the flip side, I believe the capturing is actually also cause to strongly believe there's an additional equipment for the USA women. Together, the 12 gamers on the lineup have integrated to fire thirty three% on 3-point attempts in the WNBA this period. That won't get a "Sprinkle Siblings" label whenever very soon, yet it's additionally better than Staff USA has managed from the shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and also Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually past due to warm up from long range. Watch out if they eventually carry out.