.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers women's university baseball as well as the WNBA.Previously dealt with UConn and also the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant.Stanford grad and Baltimore native with additional take in at the Dallas Morning Updates, Seat Times and also Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Citizen Writer Co-author, Pro Baseball Program series.Previously an expert with the Indiana Pacers.Developed WARP ranking and also SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo international rivals will certainly meet again on Friday, as the USA ladies's basketball crew faces the Australian Opals along with a place in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold award match on the line.Team United States, which is riding a streak of 59 successive Olympic success, advanced to the semifinals along with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Observing a distressed loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung together 3 straight victories, including Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal decision over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the USA girls have actually been the gold standard for baseball around the world, gaining 7 successive Olympic gold medals and 9 total, Australia has actually been actually a historic goliath along with them. The Opals have medaled in five of the past seven Summer Gamings, taking home 3 silvers and also two bronze, although their semifinal run in Paris marks the first time they have actually advanced past the quarterfinals given that the 2012 Greater london Video games.2012 likewise was actually the final time the fabulous Lauren Jackson suited up on the Olympic stage for the green as well as gold-- previously. While Crew U.S.A. possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals have Jackson, 43, appearing in her 5th Games and also first in 12 years. Jackson has actually consistently medaled in the competitors, and though she has viewed limited activity until now in France, she has an opportunity to proceed that touch this weekend.Australia-- which boasts six active WNBA gamers-- possesses a lot of drive, yet the Opals are actually 0-20 perpetuity versus the united state elderly nationwide team, consisting of 0-8 in Olympic competitors. In the course of the five Games in which they medaled, Australia shed to the USA either in the semifinals or the gold award contest. The teams last satisfied in 2020, when the Americans prevailed 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou as well as Kevin Pelton break several of journalism concerns heading in to the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit ratings Jackie Young for jump-starting Group USABreanna Stewart speaks with Brian Windhorst after Staff U.S.A.'s 14-point draw Nigeria to progress to the semifinals.Team U.S.A. changed up its own beginning 5 versus Nigeria, with Jackie Young in place of Diana Taurasi. Did the move repair its own issues in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Young in place of Taurasi-- that had last go over the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was the appropriate relocation. With 15 aspects versus Nigeria, Young looks carving out a function as Group USA's 3rd marker responsible for A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. (Indeed, Young is the only various other USA gamer averaging double designs at 10.3 factors every game.) Youthful, some of three Las Vegas Aces players in the starting five, showed off her 3-point shooting previously against Germany, going 5-of-8. Yet while she went scoreless from deeper on Wednesday, it was her capacity to receive downhill as well as hit from midrange that stood apart, alongside her trademark protection in the backcourt. It took up until the middle of the second quarter for the united state to really place its own feet on the fuel against Nigeria, but Young's aggressiveness as well as electricity on each ends must remain to pay dividends. As well as Taurasi appeared to do effectively off the seat, where she stepped up as a company along with four assists.Pelton: I will love to see starting point guard Chelsea Gray be a hazard to credit rating. She skipped all three of her go attempts in the quarterfinals, taking Gray to 1-of-13 up until now during the Olympics. Extremely, the U.S. outscored Nigeria by only pair of aspects in Gray's 17:27, while all four other beginners had a plus-minus of plus-17 or even far better while on the court.Still, as I stated in our final roundtable, the USA women may beat one non-scorer in the beginning 5 such a long time as she is actually delivering another thing to the table. And Gray is actually along with her playmaking, having today totaled 22 aids against only 3 turn overs. Therefore, I do not assume coach Cheryl Reeve needs to create further changes.Photo through Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty ImagesWhat troubles carry out the Australians pose, as well as what could possibly create them a hard matchup?Top tales of the full week from Obtain exclusive accessibility to countless superior posts a year from best writers. u2022 Solak: Fascinating NFL QB sophomore lesson "u2022 MLB: Legendary AL MVP battle, other honors "u2022 25 crucial players in CFP race" More ESPN+ web content ".Philippou: WNBA supporters will definitely be properly acquainted with this Opals team, which includes the Seat Tornado's Ezi Magbegor as well as Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Smith, Los Angeles Stimulates' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne and Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus The big apple Liberty coach Sandy Brondello at the helm. Not merely do the Opals possess the ability to complete against Group USA. They possess drive and also resolve observing their frustrating begin to the Olympics. Brondello has been pleased with her group's grace and also grit over the past full week, pair of qualities an enemy needs to have when encountering the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced attack flaunts 5 players averaging a minimum of 8.0 PPG, can injure foes inside with Magbegor and Johnson however likewise from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the most effective in the Olympic area and also a lot greater than Crew United States's tiny 30.8%. Whitcomb and also Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champ while along with the Sin City Aces, lead the staff along with eight and 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: On paper, Australia is actually deeper as well as extra talented than any kind of staff in the field barring the USA ladies. Our company can easily discuss the very best global gamer at the Paris Games, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and also Satou Sabally (Germany) as sturdy candidates. However no group has a pair of gamers as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and also Smith, each of whom will possess been on my WNBA Dream team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was actually certainly not named to the team this time even with comparable development.) As well as no group outside the USA possesses virtually as much WNBA knowledge throughout its own roster.Given the only thing that talent, it was shocking when Australia lost its own position game to Nigeria at that point scarcely beat winless Canada. In their past two games, our team have actually seen the Opals our team anticipated, as they trump surpassed France to develop to the knockout phase and also led Serbia through as a lot of as 28 in an askew quarterfinal victory.A' Ja foods to Stewie for three. LeBron permits. U.S.A. Network and also Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can anybody stop Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. Yet if anyone is actually visiting contain them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor and Smith. Australia's message players rate 2nd (Magbegor, 2.4) as well as fourth (Johnson, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks per activity and also have the movement to speak up for Stewart and Wilson on the border. Magbegor is actually particularly experienced against both enemies, having actually experienced Stewart in practice for 3 years as Storm teammates and also compared along with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The most significant barrier for Magbegor as well as Smith is actually foul trouble. Magbegor grabbed three first-half fouls against Canada, and also Smith had two in the first one-fourth versus France, restricting their mins. Data backup George is actually a challenging, knowledgeable player (she racked up 18 factors in 24 minutes against Serbia) however no place near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up a valid problem. However given the experience Stewart as well as Wilson contend this stage-- Stewart is actually opting for her third Olympic gold as well as Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor and also Smith are seeming in their 1st Video games-- I would certainly anticipate the Crew U.S.A. extremely duo to produce the winning participates in essential in such a stressful circumstance to development to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France as well as Belgium will be a more durable enemy for Team USA?Pelton: I am actually selecting Belgium, which offered the USA females their toughest Olympic test yet. The Americans prevailed through 13 factors, although the margin was merely seven entering into the fourth quarter of a team phase video game played in Lille, France, near the borderline with Belgium. All this in spite of Belgium going only 5-of-27 in 3-point capturing, along with Julie Vanloo especially struggling from midtown while missing 10 of her 11 efforts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point guard went 3-of-5 from 3, racking up thirteen factors with seven helps (albeit with 9 turnovers) as Belgium cruised past Spain, the simply various other staff besides the U.S. that was unbeaten in pool play.Philippou: As the multitude nation along with the crowd on its side as well as lots of pride on the line, a hard defensive team in France definitely would not be a piece of cake, either, specifically if Marine Johannes can easily blow up like she performed versus Germany with 24 factors off the seat as well as with Gabby Williams leading the way on both ends.Has Staff United States played its own absolute best baseball yet?Philippou: In-game consistency, particularly on offense, can still be actually an issue. There are actually opportunities when the absence of playing opportunity with each other or Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is actually still evident. Nevertheless, there's a main reason why Sue Bird lately claimed on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that USA Baseball is the most uneasy baseball she has ever before played. After a bit of a slow begin, the U.S. at some point led by 30 in the 3rd quarter versus Nigeria, yet Reeve could not have loved just how her group made it possible for the D'Tigress to make it a 14-point game just before the last buzzer. Via four video games, the Americans' absence of 3-point firing have not actually been actually solved, which might be an issue if enemies fume coming from deep.Team United States can't forget any one of the remaining staffs in the business, but with a protective identity and aggressive expertise led through Stewart and also Wilson, it has actually shown it may put video games away when it requires to, something that must transfer over in to the final 2 games.Pelton: On the other side, I think the capturing is actually also reason to feel there is actually another gear for the USA girls. Collectively, the 12 players on the roster have actually integrated to fire 33% on 3-point tries in the WNBA this time. That will not earn a "Dash Siblings" nickname at any time very soon, yet it is actually also far better than Team United States has actually managed 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 warm from long range. Keep an eye out if they ultimately do.