.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers women's university baseball as well as the WNBA.Recently covered UConn and the WNBA Connecticut Sunlight for the Hartford Courant.Stanford grad as well as Baltimore native with more take in at the Dallas Morning Updates, Seat Times and Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Elderly Person Author Co-author, Pro Basketball Syllabus set.In the past an expert with the Indiana Pacers.Created WARP score as well as SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo worldwide competitors are going to reunite on Friday, as the USA ladies's basketball staff goes up against the Australian Opals along with a location in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold medal suit on the line.Team U.S.A., which is actually using a touch of 59 successive Olympic wins, improved to the semifinals along with an 88-74 overcome Nigeria on Wednesday. Complying with an upset reduction to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung with each other three upright victories, consisting of Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal choice over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the USA girls have been actually the gold criterion for baseball around the world, succeeding 7 consecutive Olympic gold awards as well as 9 total, Australia has been actually a historical powerhouse alongside them. The Opals have actually medaled in five of the past seven Summertimes Video games, taking home 3 silvers and also two bronze, although their semifinal run in Paris denotes the first time they've improved past the quarterfinals given that the 2012 Greater london Video games.2012 additionally was the final time the legendary Lauren Jackson dressed on the Olympic phase for the green and also gold-- until now. While Team United States possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, appearing in her fifth Video games as well as to begin with in 12 years. Jackson has regularly medaled in the competition, and also though she has found limited action up until now in France, she has a possibility to carry on that streak this weekend.Australia-- which flaunts six active WNBA gamers-- has plenty of drive, yet the Opals are 0-20 perpetuity versus the united state senior nationwide team, consisting of 0-8 in Olympic competitors. In the course of the 5 Games through which they medaled, Australia lost to the USA either in the semifinals or the gold medal contest. The squads final fulfilled in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and also Kevin Pelton malfunction some of journalism inquiries heading into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart debts Jackie Youthful for jump-starting Staff USABreanna Stewart talks along with Brian Windhorst after Crew United States's 14-point sway Nigeria to evolve to the semifinals.Team USA changed up its own beginning five against Nigeria, with Jackie Youthful in place of Diana Taurasi. Did the relocation correct its own concerns in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Youthful instead of Taurasi-- who possessed final come off the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the ideal technique. With 15 aspects versus Nigeria, Young looks taking a part as Group United States's 3rd scorer responsible for A'ja Wilson and also Breanna Stewart. (Certainly, Young is the just other united state gamer averaging double figures at 10.3 factors per video game.) Young, some of three Las Vegas Aces gamers in the starting 5, flaunted her 3-point firing earlier against Germany, going 5-of-8. Yet while she went scoreless from deep on Wednesday, it was her capability to get downhill as well as reach coming from midrange that stuck out, alongside her hallmark defense in the backcourt. It took until the center of the second quarter for the united state to truly put its foot on the gasoline versus Nigeria, but Youthful's aggressiveness and electricity on each ends need to remain to pay dividends. And also Taurasi seemed to be to do properly off the seat, where she stepped up as a company with four assists.Pelton: I would certainly enjoy to observe beginning point guard Chelsea Gray be actually a danger to score. She overlooked all 3 of her go efforts in the quarterfinals, taking Gray to 1-of-13 until now during the course of the Olympics. Remarkably, the united state outscored Nigeria through only two aspects in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 other beginners possessed a plus-minus of plus-17 or better while on the court.Still, as I discussed in our last roundtable, the USA ladies can get rid of one non-scorer in the starting five such a long time as she is actually carrying another thing to the desk. And Gray is along with her playmaking, having actually today completed 22 supports versus only three turnovers. So, I do not presume trainer Cheryl Reeve needs to create additional changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty ImagesWhat complications do the Australians present, as well as what might make all of them a tough matchup?Top stories of the full week coming from Get exclusive access to 1000s of premium write-ups a year from best writers. u2022 Solak: Fascinating NFL QB sophomore class "u2022 MLB: Legendary AL MVP war, various other awards "u2022 25 most important gamers in CFP nationality" Additional ESPN+ content ".Philippou: WNBA supporters will definitely be actually properly acquainted with this Opals team, which features the Seattle Tornado's Ezi Magbegor as well as Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Smith, Los Angeles Triggers' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne and also Indiana High temperature's Kristy Wallace, plus Nyc Liberty train Sandy Brondello responsible. Not simply carry out the Opals possess the talent to complete versus Staff USA. They possess momentum and resolve following their unsatisfactory start to the Olympics. Brondello has been felt free to with her crew's poise as well as grit over the past full week, pair of premiums an enemy needs to have when dealing with the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced assault includes 5 players averaging a minimum of 8.0 PPG, can easily injure opponents inside along with Magbegor as well as Johnson yet also coming from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the most effective in the Olympic area and much higher than Group United States's puny 30.8%. Whitcomb and also Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while with the Sin City Aces, lead the staff along with 8 and seven treys, respectively.Pelton: On paper, Australia is deeper and also more gifted than any type of group in the field barring the USA ladies. Our team can question the greatest worldwide player at the Paris Video Games, with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and also Satou Sabally (Germany) as solid candidates. Yet no staff has a set of players as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and Johnson, each of whom would have gotten on my WNBA Dream team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was not named to the staff this period regardless of identical manufacturing.) As well as no crew outside the united state possesses nearly as a lot WNBA adventure throughout its roster.Given the only thing that skill, it was surprising when Australia dropped its own position activity to Nigeria then barely trump winless Canada. In their previous pair of activities, we have actually viewed the Opals our company expected, as they trump outdoed France to develop to the knockout phase and led Serbia by as numerous as 28 in an unequal quarterfinal victory.A' Ja meals to Stewie for three. LeBron approves. U.S.A. Network and also Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can any individual quit Breanna Stewart and also A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. However if anybody is going to contain them, it's the duo of Magbegor as well as Johnson. Australia's message players rate second (Magbegor, 2.4) and also fourth (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every game as well as have the range of motion to defend Stewart and Wilson on the border. Magbegor is specifically experienced versus both challengers, having actually dealt with Stewart in practice for three years as Hurricane colleagues and paired up with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The biggest challenge for Magbegor and Smith is filthy trouble. Magbegor got 3 first-half fouls versus Canada, and Johnson possessed pair of in the initial one-fourth versus France, restricting their minutes. Data backup George is a challenging, skilled player (she racked up 18 aspects in 24 mins versus Serbia) but nowhere near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up a legitimate concern. But provided the experience Stewart and also Wilson have at this stage-- Stewart is choosing her third Olympic gold and also Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor as well as Smith are appearing in their first Games-- I will expect the Crew U.S.A. super duo to help make the winning participates in required in such a high-pressure scenario to innovation to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and also Belgium would be a harder challenger for Group USA?Pelton: I am actually picking Belgium, which provided the united state women their most difficult Olympic examination yet. The Americans prevailed through 13 aspects, although the margin was actually simply 7 getting in the fourth one-fourth of a group stage activity played in Lille, France, near the borderline along with Belgium. All this in spite of Belgium going merely 5-of-27 in 3-point capturing, with Julie Vanloo especially struggling from downtown while missing 10 of her 11 efforts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 coming from 3, scoring 13 factors with seven supports (albeit along with 9 turn overs) as Belgium cruised previous Spain, the simply other staff besides the U.S. that was actually unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the lot nation along with the crowd on its edge and loads of pride on the line, a complicated defensive staff in France would not be a piece of cake, either, especially if Marine Johannes can blow up like she performed against Germany with 24 points off the seat as well as along with Gabby Williams leading the way on both ends.Has Staff U.S.A. played its own ideal basketball yet?Philippou: In-game consistency, especially on offense, may still be a concern. There are opportunities when the lack of participating in time with each other or even Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is still obvious. Besides, there is actually a reason why Sue Bird recently said on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that USA Basketball is actually the absolute most uneasy basketball she has actually ever before played. After a bit of a sluggish start, the U.S. eventually led by 30 in the 3rd one-fourth against Nigeria, but Reeve could not have adored just how her staff allowed the D'Tigress to make it a 14-point activity prior to the ultimate buzzer. Through four games, the Americans' lack of 3-point firing have not actually been solved, which can be a problem if opponents get hot coming from deep.Team USA can't disregard any one of the staying staffs in the field, but with a protective identity as well as offensive prowess led through Stewart and Wilson, it has actually shown it may put activities away when it requires to, something that must transfer over in to the last pair of games.Pelton: On the other side, I assume the shooting is additionally main reason to think there is actually yet another equipment for the U.S. females. Together, the 12 gamers on the lineup have blended to fire 33% on 3-point attempts in the WNBA this period. That will not make a "Splash Sisters" nickname at any time quickly, but it is actually also much better than Team U.S.A. has handled from the briefer 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) as well as Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are past due to heat coming from long assortment. Keep an eye out if they finally carry out.