.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers ladies's college basketball as well as the WNBA.Recently dealt with UConn as well as the WNBA Connecticut Sunlight for the Hartford Courant.Stanford grad as well as Baltimore indigenous along with additional encounter at the Dallas Morning Headlines, Seat Moments and Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Author Co-author, Pro Baseball Syllabus collection.Formerly a professional with the Indiana Pacers.Developed WARP score and also SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo international opponents will definitely meet again on Friday, as the USA females's baseball group confronts the Australian Opals with an area in the 2024 Paris Games' gold award match on the line.Team United States, which is using a streak of 59 consecutive Olympic triumphes, advanced to the semifinals along with an 88-74 overcome Nigeria on Wednesday. Observing a distressed loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung with each other 3 straight triumphes, featuring Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal selection over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the USA ladies have been actually the gold criterion for basketball throughout the globe, winning 7 consecutive Olympic gold medals and 9 general, Australia has been actually a famous goliath along with them. The Opals have medaled in 5 of recent seven Summer seasons Games, taking home three silvers and two bronze, although their semifinal run in Paris marks the very first time they have actually improved past the quarterfinals because the 2012 London Video games.2012 likewise was the last opportunity the epic Lauren Jackson suited up on the Olympic stage for the environment-friendly and gold-- previously. While Crew United States has 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, seeming in her fifth Games and initially in 12 years. Jackson has regularly medaled in the competitors, and though she has observed limited activity until now in France, she has an odds to proceed that touch this weekend.Australia-- which boasts 6 active WNBA players-- possesses lots of drive, but the Opals are actually 0-20 all time versus the U.S. elderly nationwide staff, including 0-8 in Olympic competition. During the five Games in which they medaled, Australia dropped to the USA either in the semifinals or the gold award competition. The teams last met in 2020, when the Americans prevailed 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou as well as Kevin Pelton break down several of journalism concerns heading right into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit ratings Jackie Young for jump-starting Staff USABreanna Stewart chats with Brian Windhorst after Crew USA's 14-point win over Nigeria to evolve to the semifinals.Team USA changed up its beginning five versus Nigeria, with Jackie Young in place of Diana Taurasi. Did the step repair its issues in the backcourt?Philippou: Starting Young instead of Taurasi-- that possessed last come off the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was the correct relocation. Along with 15 aspects versus Nigeria, Young looks taking a function as Crew United States's third scorer responsible for A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. (Undoubtedly, Young is actually the just other U.S. gamer balancing dual designs at 10.3 points per game.) Young, one of 3 Las Vegas Aces players in the beginning five, showed off her 3-point capturing previously against Germany, going 5-of-8. Yet while she went scoreless from deep on Wednesday, it was her ability to obtain downhill and attack coming from midrange that stuck out, together with her hallmark self defense in the backcourt. It took until the center of the 2nd one-fourth for the USA to truly place its own foot on the gasoline against Nigeria, but Youthful's aggression and power on each ends need to remain to return. As well as Taurasi seemed to be to do properly off the seat, where she stepped up as a facilitator with 4 assists.Pelton: I will love to observe starting point guard Chelsea Gray be actually a danger to score. She overlooked all three of her chance efforts in the quarterfinals, delivering Gray to 1-of-13 so far in the course of the Olympics. Extremely, the united state outscored Nigeria by only pair of aspects in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 other starters possessed a plus-minus of plus-17 or even better while on the court.Still, as I mentioned in our final roundtable, the USA ladies can beat one non-scorer in the beginning 5 as long as she is taking something else to the desk. And Gray is along with her playmaking, having actually now totted 22 supports versus simply three turn overs. Thus, I do not believe train Cheryl Reeve needs to have to make further changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE using Getty ImagesWhat troubles do the Australians pose, as well as what might make them a hard matchup?Top accounts of the week coming from Obtain special accessibility to countless costs posts a year coming from best authors. u2022 Solak: Fascinating NFL QB sophomore course "u2022 MLB: Epic AL MVP struggle, other honors "u2022 25 essential players in CFP nationality" Additional ESPN+ content ".Philippou: WNBA supporters will be effectively accustomed to this Opals team, which includes the Seat Storm's Ezi Magbegor and also Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Triggers' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne and Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus The big apple Right trainer Sandy Brondello at the helm. Not only do the Opals possess the ability to contend versus Group United States. They possess drive and fix observing their unsatisfactory begin to the Olympics. Brondello has been felt free to with her group's poise and also grit over recent week, two premiums an enemy needs to have when experiencing the Americans.The Opals, whose balanced strike flaunts five gamers averaging at least 8.0 PPG, may injure foes inside with Magbegor and also Johnson but likewise coming from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the very best in the Olympic area and also much greater than Crew U.S.A.'s tiny 30.8%. Whitcomb and Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champ while with the Las Vegas Aces, lead the crew with 8 and also 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: On paper, Australia is actually deeper as well as a lot more talented than any kind of team in the field except for the USA ladies. Our company can easily debate the most ideal worldwide player at the Paris Video Games, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and Satou Sabally (Germany) as strong prospects. However no team has a pair of players just as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor as well as Johnson, both of whom would certainly have performed my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was certainly not named to the team this time even with similar development.) As well as no team outside the USA has virtually as much WNBA expertise throughout its own roster.Given everything talent, it was astonishing when Australia lost its opening activity to Nigeria at that point rarely defeat winless Canada. In their previous two activities, our team've viewed the Opals our company expected, as they defeat outdoed France to develop to the knockout stage and led Serbia by as lots of as 28 in an askew quarterfinal victory.A' Ja recipes to Stewie for three. LeBron accepts. USA System and also Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 May any person stop Breanna Stewart and also A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. Yet if any person is actually going to contain them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor and Smith. Australia's article players rate second (Magbegor, 2.4) as well as 4th (Johnson, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every video game as well as have the mobility to speak up for Stewart and Wilson on the perimeter. Magbegor is actually particularly experienced versus both challengers, having actually faced Stewart virtual for 3 years as Tornado teammates as well as matched up along with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The biggest challenge for Magbegor and Johnson is actually repulsive trouble. Magbegor grabbed 3 first-half fouls versus Canada, and also Johnson possessed pair of in the 1st fourth versus France, limiting their mins. Back-up George is a difficult, trained gamer (she racked up 18 factors in 24 mins against Serbia) but no place near as sports on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up a valid worry. However given the experience Stewart and also Wilson have at this phase-- Stewart is going with her 3rd Olympic gold and Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor and Smith are looking in their initial Video games-- I will expect the Crew U.S.A. very duo to help make the winning plays necessary in such a stressful condition to advancement to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and also Belgium will be a tougher enemy for Crew USA?Pelton: I'm opting for Belgium, which provided the united state girls their most difficult Olympic exam but. The Americans dominated through thirteen factors, although the margin was actually just seven going into the fourth one-fourth of a team phase activity played in Lille, France, near the edge along with Belgium. All this regardless of Belgium going simply 5-of-27 in 3-point firing, along with Julie Vanloo especially having a hard time coming from downtown while missing out on 10 of her 11 attempts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point guard went 3-of-5 from 3, racking up 13 aspects along with 7 aids (albeit along with nine turnovers) as Belgium cruised past Spain, the simply various other team besides the united state that was unbeaten in pool play.Philippou: As the multitude nation along with the crowd on its own side and lots of pride on the line, a complicated protective team in France definitely would not be actually a piece of cake, either, specifically if Marine Johannes can blow up like she performed versus Germany along with 24 aspects off the bench as well as with Gabby Williams leading the way on each ends.Has Staff U.S.A. played its greatest basketball yet?Philippou: In-game congruity, particularly on offense, may still be a concern. There are actually times when the shortage of playing opportunity with each other or Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is still obvious. It goes without saying, there is actually a reason that Sue Bird just recently claimed on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that USA Basketball is actually the absolute most awkward basketball she has ever participated in. After a bit of a slow beginning, the U.S. inevitably led through 30 in the third fourth against Nigeria, but Reeve could not have actually adored how her staff enabled the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point game prior to the ultimate buzzer. Via 4 games, the Americans' shortage of 3-point shooting hasn't really been remedied, which might be a problem if opponents fume from deep.Team United States can not overlook any one of the staying teams in the field, but with a defensive identity as well as offensive expertise led through Stewart and also Wilson, it has actually revealed it can easily put activities away when it requires to, one thing that must transmit over into the last two games.Pelton: On the other side, I assume the capturing is also factor to believe there is actually yet another gear for the united state women. Jointly, the 12 players on the roster have actually integrated to fire thirty three% on 3-point attempts in the WNBA this period. That will not make a "Dash Siblings" nickname any time soon, yet it's likewise better than Group U.S.A. has actually handled from the briefer 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and also Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually overdue to heat coming from long selection. Look out if they lastly perform.