.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers ladies's college basketball as well as the WNBA.Previously dealt with UConn as well as the WNBA Connecticut Sunshine for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate and also Baltimore native along with more encounter at the Dallas Morning Updates, Seattle Moments and Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Author Co-author, Pro Basketball Syllabus set.Previously a professional with the Indiana Pacers.Developed WARP score as well as SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo worldwide rivals will meet again on Friday, as the United States females's baseball team takes on the Australian Opals with a location in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold medal match on the line.Team USA, which is actually using a touch of 59 consecutive Olympic triumphes, developed to the semifinals along with an 88-74 overcome Nigeria on Wednesday. Complying with an upset loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung all together 3 straight success, including Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal decision over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the united state girls have been the gold requirement for baseball around the planet, gaining 7 successive Olympic gold awards and 9 overall, Australia has been a famous powerhouse along with them. The Opals have actually medaled in five of the past seven Summer seasons Video games, take away 3 silvers and two bronze, although their semifinal run in Paris notes the first time they've advanced past the quarterfinals due to the fact that the 2012 Greater london Games.2012 additionally was the final opportunity the epic Lauren Jackson dressed on the Olympic stage for the eco-friendly and also gold-- previously. While Team USA has 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, appearing in her fifth Gamings and to begin with in 12 years. Jackson has actually constantly medaled in the competitors, as well as though she has viewed restricted action so far in France, she possesses a chance to proceed that streak this weekend.Australia-- which boasts 6 active WNBA players-- has a lot of energy, but the Opals are actually 0-20 perpetuity versus the USA senior nationwide staff, including 0-8 in Olympic competitors. In the course of the 5 Video games through which they medaled, Australia dropped to the united state either in the semifinals or even the gold medal contest. The squads final satisfied in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and also Kevin Pelton break some of journalism inquiries heading right into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit histories Jackie Youthful for jump-starting Staff USABreanna Stewart speaks with Brian Windhorst after Staff U.S.A.'s 14-point draw Nigeria to progress to the semifinals.Team United States changed up its own beginning five versus Nigeria, with Jackie Youthful instead of Diana Taurasi. Did the technique fix its own issues in the backcourt?Philippou: Starting Young instead of Taurasi-- that possessed last come off the bench at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the best relocation. With 15 aspects versus Nigeria, Youthful seems carving out a job as Staff U.S.A.'s third scorer responsible for A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. (Certainly, Youthful is actually the only other united state player averaging dual figures at 10.3 points every video game.) Young, among three Sin city Aces gamers in the beginning five, showed off her 3-point firing previously against Germany, going 5-of-8. However while she went scoreless from deep-seated on Wednesday, it was her potential to obtain downhill and also reach from midrange that stood apart, along with her trademark protection in the backcourt. It took until the middle of the second quarter for the USA to actually put its foot on the gas versus Nigeria, however Youthful's aggressiveness as well as energy on each ends ought to remain to pay dividends. And also Taurasi seemed to perform properly off the bench, where she improved as a company with four assists.Pelton: I would certainly love to see beginning point player Chelsea Gray be a risk to credit rating. She missed all three of her shot attempts in the quarterfinals, carrying Gray to 1-of-13 until now during the Olympics. Remarkably, the USA outscored Nigeria through just pair of points in Gray's 17:27, while all four various other beginners possessed a plus-minus of plus-17 or much better while on the court.Still, as I pointed out in our last roundtable, the united state females may get over one non-scorer in the starting five as long as she is actually delivering something else to the desk. And also Gray is with her playmaking, having now totted 22 helps against only 3 turnovers. So, I don't think train Cheryl Reeve needs to have to make more changes.Photo through Garrett Ellwood/NBAE using Getty ImagesWhat problems perform the Australians position, as well as what could make them a hard matchup?Top stories of the week from Get exclusive access to 1000s of superior write-ups a year from leading authors. u2022 Solak: Fascinating NFL QB sophomore course "u2022 MLB: Legendary AL MVP struggle, other awards "u2022 25 most important players in CFP race" More ESPN+ web content ".Philippou: WNBA supporters are going to be well knowledgeable about this Opals squad, which includes the Seat Storm's Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Sparks' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Baggage Melbourne and also Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus The big apple Liberty instructor Sandy Brondello responsible. Certainly not only carry out the Opals possess the ability to complete versus Group U.S.A.. They possess momentum and willpower observing their frustrating start to the Olympics. Brondello has been actually felt free to with her group's poise and grit over the past week, pair of qualities a rival requires when facing the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced assault flaunts five players balancing at the very least 8.0 PPG, can injure foes inside along with Magbegor and Smith yet additionally coming from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the very best in the Olympic field and a lot more than Crew United States's modest 30.8%. Whitcomb as well as Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while with the Las Vegas Aces, lead the staff with eight as well as seven treys, respectively.Pelton: On paper, Australia is much deeper as well as more skilled than any sort of staff in the field except for the united state females. Our company may debate the greatest worldwide gamer at the Paris Games, with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) as well as Satou Sabally (Germany) as powerful candidates. But no group has a set of players comparable to the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and also Smith, both of whom would possess gotten on my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was actually not called to the crew this season regardless of similar development.) And no staff outside the united state has virtually as much WNBA experience throughout its own roster.Given everything talent, it was stunning when Australia dropped its position video game to Nigeria then barely trump winless Canada. In their previous two activities, we have actually viewed the Opals our experts counted on, as they trump bested France to advance to the knockout phase as well as led Serbia by as many as 28 in an askew quarterfinal victory.A' Ja meals to Stewie for 3. LeBron accepts. USA Network and also Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can easily anybody cease Breanna Stewart and also A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. Yet if any person is going to contain them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor and also Smith. Australia's message players rank second (Magbegor, 2.4) as well as 4th (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every activity and have the range of motion to speak up for Stewart as well as Wilson on the boundary. Magbegor is specifically experienced against each challengers, having actually dealt with Stewart in practice for 3 years as Hurricane teammates as well as matched up with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The largest barrier for Magbegor and Smith is actually nasty difficulty. Magbegor picked up 3 first-half fouls versus Canada, and Johnson had two in the first fourth versus France, confining their moments. Data backup George is a hard, experienced player (she racked up 18 points in 24 minutes versus Serbia) yet no place near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up an authentic issue. However offered the experience Stewart and also Wilson have at this phase-- Stewart is selecting her 3rd Olympic gold as well as Wilson her second, while Magbegor and Smith are showing up in their initial Games-- I would certainly expect the Group U.S.A. very duo to produce the winning plays necessary in such a stressful circumstance to advance to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and Belgium will be a harder opponent for Team USA?Pelton: I am actually choosing Belgium, which provided the united state ladies their most difficult Olympic examination yet. The Americans dominated by thirteen points, although the frame was actually only 7 getting in the fourth one-fourth of a group phase activity played in Lille, France, near the edge along with Belgium. All this in spite of Belgium going only 5-of-27 in 3-point shooting, along with Julie Vanloo especially battling coming from downtown while overlooking 10 of her 11 tries. On Wednesday, the Mystics point guard went 3-of-5 from 3, racking up 13 aspects with seven assists (albeit with 9 turnovers) as Belgium travelled previous Spain, the just various other group besides the U.S. that was actually unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the multitude country along with the crowd on its own edge and loads of pleasure on the line, a hard defensive crew in France wouldn't be actually a pushover, either, particularly if Marine Johannes can easily blow up like she did versus Germany along with 24 points off the bench and also with Gabby Williams blazing a trail on each ends.Has Staff U.S.A. played its own best baseball yet?Philippou: In-game uniformity, especially on offense, can still be actually a concern. There are times when the lack of participating in time with each other or Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is still noticeable. After all, there's a reason that Sue Bird recently stated on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that USA Basketball is actually one of the most uncomfortable basketball she has ever played. After a little bit of a sluggish start, the U.S. eventually led through 30 in the third one-fourth against Nigeria, however Reeve couldn't have actually enjoyed just how her group allowed the D'Tigress to make it a 14-point activity just before the ultimate buzzer. With four activities, the Americans' shortage of 3-point capturing hasn't actually been corrected, which might be a problem if challengers get hot coming from deep.Team U.S.A. can not disregard any of the staying groups in the field, but with a protective identity as well as offensive prowess led by Stewart and also Wilson, it has actually presented it can put video games away when it needs to, something that should move over in to the ultimate pair of games.Pelton: On the other side, I presume the capturing is actually also explanation to believe there's yet another equipment for the U.S. ladies. Collectively, the 12 gamers on the lineup have actually integrated to fire 33% on 3-point attempts in the WNBA this time. That won't earn a "Sprinkle Sis" label any time soon, but it is actually likewise much better than Group USA has actually managed from the shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and also Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually outstanding to heat coming from lengthy variation. Keep an eye out if they lastly do.