.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers ladies's university baseball and also the WNBA.Earlier dealt with UConn as well as the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate and also Baltimore native with further take in at the Dallas Morning Headlines, Seattle Moments and also Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Writer Co-author, Pro Basketball Prospectus series.Previously a professional with the Indiana Pacers.Built WARP ranking as well as SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo global competitors are going to meet again on Friday, as the United States girls's basketball crew goes up against the Australian Opals with a location in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold medal suit on the line.Team United States, which is actually riding a streak of 59 successive Olympic triumphes, developed to the semifinals with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Complying with an upset reduction to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung with each other 3 upright victories, consisting of Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal decision over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the united state ladies have actually been actually the gold criterion for basketball all over the world, succeeding seven consecutive Olympic gold awards and also nine total, Australia has actually been a historic goliath alongside all of them. The Opals have actually medaled in 5 of recent seven Summers months Games, taking home three silvers and also two bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris notes the first time they have actually advanced past the quarterfinals since the 2012 Greater london Gamings.2012 additionally was the last opportunity the legendary Lauren Jackson wore on the Olympic stage for the environment-friendly as well as gold-- until now. While Group USA has 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals have Jackson, 43, appearing in her fifth Video games as well as initially in 12 years. Jackson has constantly medaled in the competitors, as well as though she has actually found minimal action so far in France, she has an opportunity to continue that streak this weekend.Australia-- which flaunts 6 energetic WNBA players-- possesses a lot of momentum, however the Opals are actually 0-20 perpetuity against the united state elderly national staff, featuring 0-8 in Olympic competition. During the course of the five Gamings in which they medaled, Australia lost to the USA either in the semifinals or even the gold award competition. The squads last met in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou as well as Kevin Pelton break a number of journalism concerns heading right into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit scores Jackie Young for jump-starting Crew USABreanna Stewart talks along with Brian Windhorst after Group U.S.A.'s 14-point win over Nigeria to accelerate to the semifinals.Team U.S.A. switched up its own starting 5 against Nigeria, along with Jackie Young instead of Diana Taurasi. Did the step repair its concerns in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Youthful in place of Taurasi-- that had final go over the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the correct relocation. Along with 15 points against Nigeria, Young appears to be carving out a role as Group United States's 3rd marker responsible for A'ja Wilson and also Breanna Stewart. (Without A Doubt, Youthful is actually the only various other U.S. gamer balancing dual designs at 10.3 aspects every game.) Youthful, one of three Sin city Aces gamers in the starting 5, flaunted her 3-point shooting previously against Germany, going 5-of-8. But while she went scoreless from deeper on Wednesday, it was her ability to receive downhill as well as reach coming from midrange that attracted attention, along with her hallmark self defense in the backcourt. It took till the middle of the 2nd quarter for the USA to truly place its foot on the gasoline versus Nigeria, however Youthful's aggressiveness and also electricity on both ends need to remain to pay dividends. And also Taurasi seemed to accomplish properly off the bench, where she stepped up as a facilitator along with 4 assists.Pelton: I will really love to find starting point player Chelsea Gray be a risk to rating. She overlooked all 3 of her go attempts in the quarterfinals, carrying Gray to 1-of-13 thus far during the course of the Olympics. Incredibly, the USA outscored Nigeria by merely two aspects in Gray's 17:27, while all four various other beginners had 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 ladies may get over one non-scorer in the starting five such a long time as she is actually delivering another thing to the table. And Gray is actually with her playmaking, having actually today totted 22 helps against simply three turnovers. Thus, I don't believe trainer Cheryl Reeve requires to create additional changes.Photo through Garrett Ellwood/NBAE using Getty ImagesWhat troubles carry out the Australians present, and also what could possibly create them a challenging matchup?Top stories of the full week from Acquire special access to 1000s of superior short articles a year from best writers. u2022 Solak: Intriguing NFL QB sophomore course "u2022 MLB: Epic AL MVP struggle, other awards "u2022 25 crucial players in CFP nationality" Even more ESPN+ information ".Philippou: WNBA supporters will certainly be actually well accustomed to this Opals squad, which includes the Seat Storm's Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Stimulates' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Baggage Melbourne as well as Indiana High temperature's Kristy Wallace, plus New York Liberty trainer Sandy Brondello responsible. Not just perform the Opals have the talent to compete against Staff U.S.A.. They have momentum as well as resolve following their frustrating beginning to the Olympics. Brondello has actually been actually felt free to along with her team's poise and guts over recent full week, pair of high qualities a challenger needs when encountering the Americans.The Opals, whose balanced assault includes 5 players balancing at the very least 8.0 PPG, can easily injure enemies inside with Magbegor and Johnson yet likewise coming from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the greatest in the Olympic field and also considerably more than Staff USA's puny 30.8%. Whitcomb and Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champ while with the Sin City Aces, lead the crew with 8 and seven treys, respectively.Pelton: Theoretically, Australia is much deeper and also even more accomplished than any sort of team in the field except for the united state women. Our company can question the best worldwide player at the Paris Video Games, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) as well as Satou Sabally (Germany) as sturdy applicants. But no team possesses a set of gamers just as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and also Johnson, both of whom will have gotten on my WNBA Dream team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was certainly not called to the crew this time in spite of similar creation.) As well as no group outside the USA has nearly as much WNBA experience throughout its own roster.Given the only thing that ability, it was actually surprising when Australia shed its opening activity to Nigeria then scarcely defeat winless Canada. In their past 2 games, our company've observed the Opals our company anticipated, as they beat bested France to develop to the knockout phase and also led Serbia by as a lot of as 28 in an uneven quarterfinal victory.A' Ja meals to Stewie for 3. LeBron approves. U.S.A. System as well as Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can easily anyone cease Breanna Stewart as well as A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. However if anyone is actually going to include all of them, it's the duo of Magbegor as well as Johnson. Australia's blog post players rank second (Magbegor, 2.4) as well as fourth (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks per game and also possess the movement to defend Stewart and Wilson on the border. Magbegor is actually specifically experienced versus each challengers, having encountered Stewart virtual for three years as Tornado allies and paired up along with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The greatest difficulty for Magbegor as well as Smith is actually filthy issue. Magbegor grabbed three first-half fouls against Canada, and also Smith possessed two in the first fourth versus France, confining their minutes. Data backup George is actually a tough, experienced gamer (she racked up 18 aspects in 24 minutes versus Serbia) but no place near as sports on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up an authentic issue. However provided the encounter Stewart and also Wilson contend this phase-- Stewart is actually choosing her 3rd Olympic gold as well as Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor and also Smith are appearing in their initial Games-- I would certainly anticipate the Team United States incredibly duo to make the winning plays required in such a high-pressure scenario to breakthrough to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France as well as Belgium will be a more durable rival for Group USA?Pelton: I'm opting for Belgium, which gave the united state girls their hardest Olympic examination however. The Americans prevailed by 13 aspects, although the scope was simply seven getting in the 4th one-fourth of a group stage video game played in Lille, France, near the border with Belgium. All this in spite of Belgium going simply 5-of-27 in 3-point shooting, along with Julie Vanloo specifically having a hard time from midtown while skipping 10 of her 11 efforts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point guard went 3-of-5 coming from 3, scoring 13 points with seven aids (albeit along with nine turnovers) as Belgium travelled past Spain, the merely other crew besides the U.S. that was unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the multitude nation with the crowd on its own edge and lots of satisfaction vulnerable, a tough protective team in France definitely would not be actually a pushover, either, particularly if Marine Johannes can blow up like she did against Germany along with 24 factors off the bench and with Gabby Williams breaking the ice on each ends.Has Team U.S.A. played its own absolute best baseball yet?Philippou: In-game congruity, especially on offense, can easily still be a concern. There are opportunities when the absence of participating in opportunity together or Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is still apparent. Besides, there's a reason that Sue Bird recently claimed on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that USA Baseball is the absolute most uneasy basketball she has actually ever before played. After a little bit of a slow-moving start, the USA eventually led by 30 in the third fourth against Nigeria, yet Reeve couldn't have enjoyed exactly how her group made it possible for the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point game before the last buzzer. Via four activities, the Americans' absence of 3-point shooting hasn't truly been actually treated, which might be a problem if opponents fume from deep.Team USA can not ignore any of the staying groups in the field, however along with a defensive identification and aggressive adeptness led by Stewart and Wilson, it has actually revealed it can easily place games away when it needs to have to, one thing that ought to move over right into the ultimate two games.Pelton: On the other hand, I believe the firing is actually also reason to feel there is actually another gear for the united state ladies. Together, the 12 gamers on the lineup have blended to fire 33% on 3-point attempts in the WNBA this season. That won't gain a "Burst Siblings" label whenever soon, however it is actually likewise much better than Group USA has actually handled from the much shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and also Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are outstanding to warm up coming from lengthy selection. Keep an eye out if they eventually do.