.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers females's college basketball and also the WNBA.Previously dealt with UConn and the WNBA Connecticut Sunshine for the Hartford Courant.Stanford grad as well as Baltimore indigenous with more experience at the Dallas Early Morning Headlines, Seat Moments and Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Writer Co-author, Pro Baseball Syllabus collection.Previously an expert along with the Indiana Pacers.Built WARP score as well as SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo international rivals are going to reunite on Friday, as the USA females's basketball team confronts the Australian Opals with a place in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold award match on the line.Team U.S.A., which is actually riding a streak of 59 consecutive Olympic success, developed to the semifinals with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Observing a distressed loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung with each other three straight success, including Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal decision over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the USA ladies have been the gold specification for baseball around the world, gaining 7 consecutive Olympic gold medals and 9 total, Australia has actually been actually a historic powerhouse together with all of them. The Opals have actually medaled in five of recent 7 Summer Games, taking home three silvers as well as 2 bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris notes the first time they have actually developed past the quarterfinals since the 2012 London Games.2012 additionally was the last time the famous Lauren Jackson dressed on the Olympic stage for the green as well as gold-- previously. While Staff USA possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals have Jackson, 43, appearing in her fifth Video games and also first in 12 years. Jackson has actually constantly medaled in the competition, and though she has viewed minimal activity thus far in France, she possesses a possibility to carry on that streak this weekend.Australia-- which boasts 6 active WNBA players-- has plenty of energy, yet the Opals are 0-20 perpetuity against the U.S. senior national staff, including 0-8 in Olympic competitors. In the course of the 5 Gamings through which they medaled, Australia lost to the U.S. either in the semifinals or the gold award competition. The squads last complied with in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and also Kevin Pelton malfunction several of the pressing inquiries heading in to the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit histories Jackie Young for jump-starting Staff USABreanna Stewart talks with Brian Windhorst after Staff U.S.A.'s 14-point draw Nigeria to progress to the semifinals.Team U.S.A. switched up its own starting five against Nigeria, with Jackie Young in place of Diana Taurasi. Performed the step correct its issues in the backcourt?Philippou: Starting Youthful instead of Taurasi-- who had last come off the bench at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the right move. With 15 points versus Nigeria, Youthful seems carving out a duty as Team United States's 3rd scorer behind A'ja Wilson as well as Breanna Stewart. (Indeed, Youthful is actually the just various other U.S. gamer balancing dual designs at 10.3 aspects per game.) Young, some of 3 Sin city Aces players in the beginning five, flaunted her 3-point firing previously against Germany, going 5-of-8. Yet while she went scoreless from deep on Wednesday, it was her capacity to obtain downhill and hit from midrange that attracted attention, alongside her hallmark protection in the backcourt. It took until the center of the second fourth for the U.S. to really place its feet on the gas against Nigeria, yet Young's aggressiveness and also energy on each ends must remain to return. And also Taurasi appeared to do properly off the seat, where she improved as a facilitator along with four assists.Pelton: I would certainly love to find starting point player Chelsea Gray be a hazard to credit rating. She missed all three of her shot tries in the quarterfinals, taking Gray to 1-of-13 so far throughout the Olympics. Remarkably, the U.S. outscored Nigeria through just two aspects in Gray's 17:27, while all four other starters possessed a plus-minus of plus-17 or even much better while on the court.Still, as I discussed in our final roundtable, the united state women may overcome one non-scorer in the beginning five such a long time as she is delivering something else to the table. And also Gray is with her playmaking, having now totted 22 aids versus simply 3 turnovers. Therefore, I do not believe coach Cheryl Reeve needs to have to create further changes.Photo through Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty ImagesWhat complications do the Australians posture, and what could possibly make them a challenging matchup?Top accounts of the week coming from Obtain special accessibility to thousands of costs posts a year from best article writers. u2022 Solak: Appealing NFL QB sophomore training class "u2022 MLB: Impressive AL MVP battle, other honors "u2022 25 essential players in CFP nationality" Additional ESPN+ web content ".Philippou: WNBA fans are going to be effectively accustomed to this Opals team, which features the Seat Hurricane's Ezi Magbegor as well as Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Triggers' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Baggage Melbourne as well as Indiana High temperature's Kristy Wallace, plus The big apple Right trainer Sandy Brondello at the helm. Not only do the Opals have the talent to complete versus Crew U.S.A.. They have drive and willpower following their unsatisfying beginning to the Olympics. Brondello has been pleased with her group's poise and also grit over the past week, pair of premiums an opponent needs to have when encountering the Americans.The Opals, whose balanced strike flaunts five players balancing a minimum of 8.0 PPG, may hurt foes inside along with Magbegor as well as Smith yet also from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the most ideal in the Olympic area as well as a lot more than Crew U.S.A.'s tiny 30.8%. Whitcomb and Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while along with the Sin City Aces, lead the crew with eight and seven treys, respectively.Pelton: On paper, Australia is much deeper as well as a lot more gifted than any type of crew in the business except for the united state ladies. We can dispute the most ideal international player at the Paris Games, with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and Satou Sabally (Germany) as sturdy prospects. Yet no group possesses a pair 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 called to the staff this time despite comparable development.) As well as no team outside the united state possesses virtually as much WNBA expertise throughout its roster.Given the only thing that ability, it was actually surprising when Australia shed its own position video game to Nigeria at that point rarely defeat winless Canada. In their past two video games, we have actually observed the Opals our company anticipated, as they defeat surpassed France to advance to the knockout stage as well as led Serbia through as numerous as 28 in a lopsided quarterfinal victory.A' Ja foods to Stewie for 3. LeBron authorizes. USA Network as well as Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can any individual stop Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. However if any person is going to contain all of them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor as well as Johnson. Australia's article gamers position 2nd (Magbegor, 2.4) and also 4th (Johnson, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every activity and have the flexibility to stand up for Stewart and also Wilson on the perimeter. Magbegor is actually especially experienced against both rivals, having encountered Stewart in practice for 3 years as Tornado colleagues as well as paired up along with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The most significant barrier for Magbegor as well as Johnson is actually nasty trouble. Magbegor got 3 first-half fouls against Canada, and Smith possessed pair of in the first fourth versus France, limiting their moments. Data backup George is actually a tough, competent gamer (she scored 18 points in 24 minutes versus Serbia) yet nowhere near as sports on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up an authentic worry. But given the encounter Stewart as well as Wilson have at this phase-- Stewart is going with her third Olympic gold and Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor and also Smith are seeming in their first Video games-- I 'd anticipate the Group United States extremely duo to produce the winning plays important in such a high-pressure situation to advancement to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and also Belgium would be actually a more durable opponent for Group USA?Pelton: I'm choosing Belgium, which provided the USA ladies their toughest Olympic examination however. The Americans dominated through thirteen points, although the frame was actually just 7 getting into the fourth quarter of a group phase video game played in Lille, France, near the borderline along with Belgium. All this in spite of Belgium going only 5-of-27 in 3-point shooting, along with Julie Vanloo especially having a hard time from downtown while missing out on 10 of her 11 efforts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 coming from 3, scoring thirteen factors with 7 aids (albeit along with 9 turnovers) as Belgium travelled past Spain, the just various other crew besides the U.S. that was unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the lot country along with the group on its side and loads of honor vulnerable, a complicated defensive group in France would not be actually a pushover, either, particularly if Marine Johannes can go off like she carried out against Germany with 24 aspects off the bench as well as with Gabby Williams blazing a trail on both ends.Has Group U.S.A. played its best baseball yet?Philippou: In-game congruity, especially on outburst, can still be actually a concern. There are opportunities when the shortage of participating in time with each other or even Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is actually still apparent. It goes without saying, there's a reason that Sue Bird lately pointed out on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that U.S.A. Basketball is the best annoying baseball she has actually ever before played. After a little a slow begin, the U.S. ultimately led through 30 in the 3rd one-fourth against Nigeria, but Reeve could not have actually really loved how her crew made it possible for the D'Tigress to make it a 14-point game prior to the ultimate buzzer. With 4 video games, the Americans' lack of 3-point capturing have not definitely been remedied, which might be a problem if challengers fume coming from deep.Team U.S.A. can not ignore any one of the continuing to be staffs in the field, yet with a defensive identification and also offensive adeptness led by Stewart and also Wilson, it has shown it may place video games away when it needs to have to, something that should move over into the ultimate two games.Pelton: On the other hand, I presume the shooting is actually additionally reason to think there is actually yet another equipment for the U.S. females. Collectively, the 12 players on the roster have mixed to shoot 33% on 3-point tries in the WNBA this period. That won't get a "Splash Sisters" label at any time quickly, but it's additionally much better than Group United States has handled coming from the much shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and also Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually overdue to warm up coming from long assortment. Look out if they lastly carry out.