.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers women's college basketball and also the WNBA.Previously dealt with UConn and also the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate and Baltimore native with additional take in at the Dallas Early Morning Headlines, Seattle Times as well as Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Citizen Article Writer Co-author, Pro Baseball Syllabus set.In the past a consultant with the Indiana Pacers.Cultivated WARP score and also SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo worldwide opponents are going to meet again on Friday, as the United States girls's baseball team confronts the Australian Opals along with a place in the 2024 Paris Gamings' gold award suit on the line.Team U.S.A., which is using a touch of 59 consecutive Olympic success, advanced to the semifinals along with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Complying with a dismayed loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung together 3 upright victories, including Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal decision over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the U.S. ladies have actually been the gold specification for basketball throughout the globe, winning 7 successive Olympic gold medals and nine general, Australia has been a famous powerhouse alongside all of them. The Opals have medaled in five of the past seven Summer Video games, taking home three silvers and also two bronze, although their semifinal run in Paris marks the very first time they've advanced past the quarterfinals because the 2012 Greater london Video games.2012 also was actually the final opportunity the epic Lauren Jackson dressed on the Olympic phase for the eco-friendly as well as gold-- previously. While Crew USA has 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, showing up in her fifth Video games and initially in 12 years. Jackson has actually consistently medaled in the competition, and also though she has found minimal activity until now in France, she possesses an opportunity to continue that touch this weekend.Australia-- which flaunts 6 energetic WNBA players-- possesses plenty of momentum, however the Opals are 0-20 all time versus the united state senior nationwide group, consisting of 0-8 in Olympic competition. During the five Video games through which they medaled, Australia dropped to the U.S. either in the semifinals or the gold award contest. The teams final met in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and Kevin Pelton break a few of journalism concerns heading right into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit ratings Jackie Young for jump-starting Group USABreanna Stewart chats along with Brian Windhorst after Team United States's 14-point sway Nigeria to progress to the semifinals.Team United States switched up its beginning five against Nigeria, with Jackie Youthful instead of Diana Taurasi. Did the action fix its issues in the backcourt?Philippou: Starting Young in place of Taurasi-- who possessed final go over the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the correct technique. Along with 15 factors versus Nigeria, Youthful looks carving out a job as Crew USA's 3rd scorer behind A'ja Wilson and also Breanna Stewart. (Certainly, Youthful is the only various other USA player averaging dual designs at 10.3 aspects per game.) Youthful, one of three Las Vegas Aces gamers in the starting 5, exhibited her 3-point shooting previously versus Germany, going 5-of-8. Yet while she went scoreless coming from deeper on Wednesday, it was her capacity to receive downhill and hit coming from midrange that stood apart, alongside her hallmark self defense in the backcourt. It took up until the middle of the second fourth for the united state to truly place its feet on the gas against Nigeria, but Young's hostility as well as electricity on each ends ought to remain to return. As well as Taurasi seemed to do effectively off the bench, where she boosted as a company with 4 assists.Pelton: I will adore to see beginning point player Chelsea Gray be a danger to score. She missed out on all three of her shot tries in the quarterfinals, taking Gray to 1-of-13 until now throughout the Olympics. Incredibly, the U.S. outscored Nigeria through just two aspects in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 various other beginners had a plus-minus of plus-17 or even better while on the court.Still, as I mentioned in our last roundtable, the U.S. girls can conquer one non-scorer in the beginning 5 so long as she is actually carrying something else to the desk. And also Gray is with her playmaking, having actually right now totted 22 helps against simply 3 turn overs. So, I don't presume trainer Cheryl Reeve needs to have to create further changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE by means of Getty ImagesWhat problems do the Australians present, and also what could create them a tough matchup?Top tales of the full week from Obtain special access to thousands of premium articles a year coming from top authors. u2022 Solak: Intriguing NFL QB student course "u2022 MLB: Epic AL MVP battle, other honors "u2022 25 most important gamers in CFP nationality" More ESPN+ web content ".Philippou: WNBA enthusiasts will be effectively acquainted with this Opals squad, which features the Seat Storm's Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Smith, Los Angeles Stimulates' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Baggage Melbourne and also Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus New York Freedom train Sandy Brondello at the helm. Certainly not merely perform the Opals have the talent to contend versus Group U.S.A.. They possess momentum and also willpower following their disappointing start to the Olympics. Brondello has actually been felt free to with her staff's grace and guts over recent week, pair of top qualities a rival requires when dealing with the Americans.The Opals, whose balanced strike boasts five gamers averaging at the very least 8.0 PPG, can harm opponents inside along with Magbegor as well as Smith yet also from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the best in the Olympic area and much more than Team U.S.A.'s puny 30.8%. Whitcomb and Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while with the Las Vegas Aces, lead the staff with eight and also seven treys, respectively.Pelton: Theoretically, Australia is actually much deeper and also a lot more proficient than any sort of crew in the business except for the united state women. Our experts may dispute the most effective worldwide player at the Paris Games, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) as well as Satou Sabally (Germany) as solid candidates. However no group possesses a set of players just as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and also Johnson, both of whom would certainly possess performed my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was certainly not named to the group this season despite comparable production.) And also no team outside the united state has nearly as a lot WNBA knowledge throughout its own roster.Given the only thing that skill, it was astonishing when Australia lost its opening game to Nigeria at that point hardly beat winless Canada. In their previous pair of games, our team've observed the Opals our team expected, as they trump exceeded France to advance to the knockout phase and led Serbia by as a lot of as 28 in an unbalanced quarterfinal victory.A' Ja foods to Stewie for three. LeBron authorizes. United States System and also Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 May anyone cease Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. Yet if any individual is actually going to have them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor as well as Johnson. Australia's post players rate 2nd (Magbegor, 2.4) and 4th (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every activity and also possess the range of motion to defend Stewart and also Wilson on the boundary. Magbegor is specifically experienced against both challengers, having actually dealt with Stewart virtual for three years as Hurricane colleagues as well as matched up along with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The most significant hurdle for Magbegor and also Smith is actually repulsive issue. Magbegor picked up 3 first-half fouls versus Canada, and also Johnson had pair of in the 1st one-fourth versus France, limiting their mins. Back-up George is actually a hard, skillful player (she scored 18 aspects in 24 moments against Serbia) but nowhere near as sports on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up a valid problem. Yet given the take in Stewart as well as Wilson have at this stage-- Stewart is choosing her 3rd Olympic gold as well as Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor and Smith are appearing in their very first Games-- I would certainly count on the Crew USA incredibly duo to create the winning plays required in such a high-pressure scenario to innovation to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France as well as Belgium will be a tougher enemy for Crew USA?Pelton: I'm opting for Belgium, which offered the U.S. girls their hardest Olympic exam however. The Americans dominated through 13 aspects, although the scope was only 7 getting into the 4th quarter of a team stage activity played in Lille, France, near the borderline with Belgium. All this despite Belgium going simply 5-of-27 in 3-point capturing, with Julie Vanloo specifically battling from downtown while missing 10 of her 11 tries. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 from 3, racking up thirteen factors along with 7 assists (albeit with nine turnovers) as Belgium cruised previous Spain, the only various other staff besides the united state that was actually unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the multitude country along with the group on its edge and plenty of honor vulnerable, a complicated defensive group in France would not be a piece of cake, either, especially if Marine Johannes may blow up like she did against Germany with 24 aspects off the bench and along with Gabby Williams blazing a trail on each ends.Has Team USA played its greatest basketball yet?Philippou: In-game consistency, particularly on offense, may still be an issue. There are actually times when the absence of participating in time together or Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is still obvious. It goes without saying, there's a reason that Sue Bird just recently said on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that USA Basketball is one of the most uneasy baseball she has actually ever participated in. After a little bit of a sluggish start, the USA inevitably led through 30 in the 3rd one-fourth versus Nigeria, however Reeve could not have actually enjoyed how her group made it possible for the D'Tigress to make it a 14-point game just before the ultimate buzzer. Through 4 games, the Americans' shortage of 3-point firing have not really been actually remedied, which might be a concern if enemies fume coming from deep.Team United States can't disregard any of the remaining staffs in the field, however with a protective identity and offensive expertise led through Stewart and Wilson, it has actually shown it may put games away when it requires to, one thing that needs to transmit over in to the final 2 games.Pelton: On the other hand, I think the shooting is actually also explanation to feel there is actually an additional equipment for the USA girls. Collectively, the 12 players on the roster have combined to shoot 33% on 3-point efforts in the WNBA this time. That will not earn a "Sprinkle Siblings" nickname any time soon, but it is actually also better than Team U.S.A. has actually dealt with coming 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 heat from lengthy variety. Watch out if they ultimately perform.