.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers females's university basketball and the WNBA.Previously dealt with UConn as well as the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate and also Baltimore native with further encounter at the Dallas Morning Information, Seattle Moments and also Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Author Co-author, Pro Baseball Prospectus series.Previously a consultant with the Indiana Pacers.Created WARP ranking and also SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo international opponents are going to reunite on Friday, as the United States females's baseball staff faces the Australian Opals with a spot in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold award match on the line.Team U.S.A., which is riding a streak of 59 consecutive Olympic success, advanced to the semifinals with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Following a dismayed reduction to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung all together three upright success, featuring Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal selection over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the united state girls have been the gold standard for basketball across the world, winning seven consecutive Olympic gold awards and nine general, Australia has been a historical giant along with all of them. The Opals have medaled in five of the past seven Summer seasons Games, taking home 3 silvers and pair of bronze, although their semifinal run in Paris marks the very first time they've advanced past the quarterfinals since the 2012 Greater london Video games.2012 additionally was the last opportunity the legendary Lauren Jackson dressed on the Olympic stage for the green and also gold-- until now. While Group United States possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, showing up in her 5th Video games as well as initially in 12 years. Jackson has actually always medaled in the competitors, as well as though she has observed limited activity so far in France, she has a chance to continue that touch this weekend.Australia-- which boasts 6 active WNBA players-- possesses plenty of energy, however the Opals are actually 0-20 all time against the USA senior national staff, consisting of 0-8 in Olympic competition. During the course of the 5 Gamings in which they medaled, Australia dropped to the united state either in the semifinals or the gold medal competition. The teams final fulfilled in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou as well as Kevin Pelton break a number of the pressing questions moving in to the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit scores Jackie Youthful for jump-starting Staff USABreanna Stewart chats along with Brian Windhorst after Group U.S.A.'s 14-point sway Nigeria to progress to the semifinals.Team United States switched up its beginning five against Nigeria, with Jackie Young in place of Diana Taurasi. Did the action fix its own problems in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Youthful instead of Taurasi-- that had last go over the bench at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the ideal step. With 15 aspects versus Nigeria, Youthful appears to be taking a job as Staff United States's third marker behind A'ja Wilson as well as Breanna Stewart. (Indeed, Young is the just other USA gamer balancing dual designs at 10.3 factors every activity.) Young, some of 3 Las Vegas Aces players in the starting five, showed off her 3-point firing earlier versus Germany, going 5-of-8. However while she went scoreless coming from deep on Wednesday, it was her capacity to obtain downhill and also reach from midrange that attracted attention, alongside her trademark defense in the backcourt. It took till the middle of the 2nd fourth for the U.S. to actually put its own foot on the fuel against Nigeria, but Youthful's hostility and power on both ends need to continue to pay dividends. As well as Taurasi seemed to accomplish well off the bench, where she improved as a facilitator with 4 assists.Pelton: I will adore to observe beginning point guard Chelsea Gray be actually a hazard to rating. She missed out on all 3 of her chance attempts in the quarterfinals, carrying Gray to 1-of-13 up until now during the course of the Olympics. Incredibly, the united state outscored Nigeria through simply 2 points in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 various other beginners possessed a plus-minus of plus-17 or much better while on the court.Still, as I discussed in our last roundtable, the USA girls can eliminate one non-scorer in the beginning five so long as she is bringing another thing to the desk. And Gray is with her playmaking, having actually right now completed 22 supports versus simply 3 turn overs. Thus, I don't assume trainer Cheryl Reeve needs to have to create more changes.Photo through Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty ImagesWhat complications do the Australians posture, and what can create them a hard matchup?Top stories of the week coming from Get unique access to thousands of fee articles a year coming from best article writers. u2022 Solak: Intriguing NFL QB student lesson "u2022 MLB: Epic AL MVP struggle, various other honors "u2022 25 crucial gamers in CFP nationality" Even more ESPN+ information ".Philippou: WNBA followers will definitely be actually effectively accustomed to this Opals team, which includes the Seattle Tornado's Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Smith, Los Angeles Triggers' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne and Indiana High temperature's Kristy Wallace, plus The big apple Liberty trainer Sandy Brondello at the helm. Not simply do the Opals possess the ability to contend against Crew U.S.A.. They possess drive as well as fix observing their unsatisfactory begin to the Olympics. Brondello has actually been pleased along with her crew's grace and grit over recent week, 2 top qualities a challenger needs to have when encountering the Americans.The Opals, whose balanced attack boasts 5 gamers balancing a minimum of 8.0 PPG, can easily injure opponents inside along with Magbegor and also Smith but likewise from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the most effective in the Olympic area and also much greater than Staff USA's paltry 30.8%. Whitcomb as well as Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champ while along with the Las Vegas Aces, lead the crew with eight as well as 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: Theoretically, Australia is actually deeper as well as much more skilled than any group in the field except for the USA females. Our team may debate the greatest international gamer at the Paris Gamings, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and Satou Sabally (Germany) as solid prospects. Yet no team has a set of gamers as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor as well as Johnson, both of whom would have gotten on my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was not called to the crew this period in spite of similar creation.) And also no team outside the united state possesses nearly as much WNBA knowledge throughout its roster.Given all that skill, it was actually astonishing when Australia lost its opening activity to Nigeria after that barely beat winless Canada. In their previous 2 video games, we've found the Opals our experts expected, as they trump exceeded France to advance to the knockout stage as well as led Serbia through as lots of as 28 in an unbalanced quarterfinal victory.A' Ja recipes to Stewie for 3. LeBron accepts. USA System and also Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can any individual quit Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. However if any person is actually visiting have them, it's the duo of Magbegor and Smith. Australia's article players position second (Magbegor, 2.4) and also fourth (Johnson, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every video game as well as have the range of motion to speak up for Stewart as well as Wilson on the boundary. Magbegor is specifically experienced versus each challengers, having actually faced Stewart in practice for three years as Hurricane teammates as well as paired up along with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The most significant difficulty for Magbegor and also Smith is repulsive trouble. Magbegor grabbed three first-half fouls against Canada, as well as Smith possessed 2 in the 1st quarter versus France, limiting their mins. Backup George is a tough, knowledgeable player (she scored 18 factors in 24 mins against Serbia) however nowhere near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton raises a legitimate problem. However offered the encounter Stewart and Wilson contend this stage-- Stewart is actually going for her third Olympic gold as well as Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor and also Johnson are appearing in their very first Games-- I would certainly expect the Team USA very duo to produce the winning plays required in such a high-pressure circumstance to innovation to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and Belgium would certainly be actually a harder enemy for Group USA?Pelton: I'm opting for Belgium, which gave the USA women their hardest Olympic examination however. The Americans dominated through 13 aspects, although the scope was actually only seven entering into the 4th one-fourth of a group stage activity played in Lille, France, near the edge along with Belgium. All this in spite of Belgium going just 5-of-27 in 3-point capturing, with Julie Vanloo specifically battling coming from midtown while overlooking 10 of her 11 attempts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point guard went 3-of-5 from 3, scoring 13 aspects with 7 assists (albeit with nine turn overs) as Belgium cruised past Spain, the just various other staff besides the U.S. that was actually unbeaten in pool play.Philippou: As the multitude nation along with the crowd on its own edge and also plenty of honor vulnerable, a complicated protective team in France definitely would not be a pushover, either, especially if Marine Johannes may go off like she did versus Germany with 24 aspects off the bench and along with Gabby Williams leading the way on both ends.Has Crew USA played its own best baseball yet?Philippou: In-game consistency, particularly on offense, can still be actually an issue. There are actually times when the shortage of participating in time together or Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is still apparent. It goes without saying, there's a main reason why Sue Bird just recently stated on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that U.S.A. Baseball is actually the most annoying baseball she has actually ever participated in. After a bit of a slow-moving begin, the U.S. at some point led by 30 in the 3rd one-fourth against Nigeria, however Reeve couldn't have actually enjoyed exactly how her group made it possible for the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point game prior to the final buzzer. By means of 4 activities, the Americans' lack of 3-point firing hasn't really been treated, which might be an issue if rivals fume coming from deep.Team USA can't neglect some of the staying crews in the field, however along with a defensive identification and aggressive prowess led by Stewart and also Wilson, it has shown it may place video games away when it needs to, one thing that should transmit over in to the last two games.Pelton: On the flip side, I believe the firing is additionally explanation to believe there is actually one more gear for the U.S. ladies. Jointly, the 12 players on the lineup have combined to fire 33% on 3-point tries in the WNBA this period. That will not earn a "Burst Sis" label at any time very soon, but it is actually additionally much better than Team U.S.A. has managed coming from the much shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and also Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are outstanding to heat up from lengthy array. Keep an eye out if they eventually do.