.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers girls's university baseball and also the WNBA.Earlier covered UConn and the WNBA Connecticut Sunlight for the Hartford Courant.Stanford grad and Baltimore indigenous with further experience at the Dallas Early Morning Updates, Seattle Moments and Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Citizen Writer Co-author, Pro Baseball Syllabus series.Formerly a consultant along with the Indiana Pacers.Developed WARP ranking and SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo worldwide competitors will certainly meet again on Friday, as the USA girls's basketball group faces the Australian Opals along with an area in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold award match on the line.Team USA, which is actually using a touch of 59 successive Olympic triumphes, developed to the semifinals along with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Complying with an upset loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung with each other three straight victories, featuring Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal decision over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the U.S. ladies have actually been actually the gold specification for basketball around the world, succeeding 7 consecutive Olympic gold awards and also 9 overall, Australia has actually been a historic goliath along with all of them. The Opals have medaled in 5 of the past 7 Summers months Gamings, take away three silvers and also two bronze, although their semifinal run in Paris marks the first time they've improved past the quarterfinals due to the fact that the 2012 Greater london Gamings.2012 also was actually the last opportunity the epic Lauren Jackson dressed on the Olympic stage for the environment-friendly and also gold-- until now. While Group United States possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals have Jackson, 43, showing up in her fifth Video games as well as initially in 12 years. Jackson has actually consistently medaled in the competitors, and also though she has actually found restricted activity so far in France, she has an opportunity to continue that touch this weekend.Australia-- which flaunts six active WNBA gamers-- has plenty of energy, but the Opals are 0-20 perpetuity against the U.S. elderly nationwide team, featuring 0-8 in Olympic competitors. In the course of the 5 Video games through which they medaled, Australia shed to the united state either in the semifinals or the gold medal competition. The squads final satisfied in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and Kevin Pelton break down several of the pressing questions heading right into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit histories Jackie Youthful for jump-starting Group USABreanna Stewart speaks with Brian Windhorst after Group United States's 14-point win over Nigeria to advance to the semifinals.Team U.S.A. shifted up its beginning five versus Nigeria, with Jackie Young instead of Diana Taurasi. Performed the action correct its issues in the backcourt?Philippou: Starting Youthful in place of Taurasi-- who had final come off the bench at the Olympics in 2004-- was the appropriate move. Along with 15 factors against Nigeria, Youthful seems taking a part as Crew U.S.A.'s 3rd scorer behind A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. (Indeed, Young is the only various other U.S. player averaging dual figures at 10.3 factors every video game.) Youthful, some of three Sin city Aces players in the starting five, displayed her 3-point capturing previously versus Germany, going 5-of-8. But while she went scoreless coming from deeper on Wednesday, it was her potential to acquire downhill as well as strike coming from midrange that attracted attention, alongside her hallmark self defense in the backcourt. It took until the center of the second one-fourth for the U.S. to actually place its own foot on the gasoline versus Nigeria, yet Young's hostility and also energy on each ends should continue to pay dividends. And also Taurasi seemed to accomplish effectively off the bench, where she stepped up as a facilitator along with 4 assists.Pelton: I would certainly really love to see beginning point player Chelsea Gray be actually a risk to rating. She missed out on all 3 of her try efforts in the quarterfinals, bringing Gray to 1-of-13 up until now during the Olympics. Amazingly, the united state outscored Nigeria by only 2 aspects in Gray's 17:27, while all four other starters had a plus-minus of plus-17 or even much better while on the court.Still, as I mentioned in our final roundtable, the U.S. girls may conquer one non-scorer in the starting five as long as she is delivering something else to the desk. And Gray is along with her playmaking, having right now completed 22 aids versus just three turn overs. Therefore, I don't think train Cheryl Reeve needs to make more changes.Photo through Garrett Ellwood/NBAE by means of Getty ImagesWhat concerns do the Australians present, and what might create all of them a difficult matchup?Top tales of the week from Acquire special accessibility to thousands of premium write-ups a year coming from leading writers. u2022 Solak: Appealing NFL QB student lesson "u2022 MLB: Epic AL MVP struggle, other awards "u2022 25 crucial players in CFP race" More ESPN+ content ".Philippou: WNBA enthusiasts will certainly be properly acquainted with this Opals squad, which includes the Seat Tornado's Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Stimulates' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Baggage Melbourne and also Indiana High temperature's Kristy Wallace, plus New York Right trainer Sandy Brondello responsible. Certainly not only do the Opals possess the ability to compete against Crew United States. They have drive as well as resolve observing their disappointing begin to the Olympics. Brondello has actually been satisfied with her group's grace as well as guts over the past full week, 2 qualities an enemy needs to have when encountering the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced assault includes 5 gamers averaging a minimum of 8.0 PPG, can harm enemies inside with Magbegor as well as Smith but also from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the very best in the Olympic field and also considerably greater than Crew U.S.A.'s tiny 30.8%. Whitcomb as well as Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while with the Sin City Aces, lead the group along with 8 as well as seven treys, respectively.Pelton: Abstractly, Australia is actually deeper as well as more accomplished than any crew in the field barring the USA women. Our experts can question the most effective global gamer at the Paris Games, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) as well as Satou Sabally (Germany) as powerful prospects. But no crew possesses a set of players as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and also Smith, both of whom would certainly possess been on my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was actually certainly not called to the team this season regardless of comparable production.) As well as no group outside the united state has virtually as much WNBA experience throughout its roster.Given everything skill, it was astonishing when Australia dropped its own opening game to Nigeria then rarely defeat winless Canada. In their previous 2 video games, we've observed the Opals our team anticipated, as they trump exceeded France to develop to the knockout stage and also led Serbia through as numerous as 28 in an askew quarterfinal victory.A' Ja dishes to Stewie for 3. LeBron approves. United States System as well as Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can anybody cease Breanna Stewart as well as A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. Yet if anyone is actually heading to include all of them, it's the duo of Magbegor and also Smith. Australia's post gamers position 2nd (Magbegor, 2.4) and fourth (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every game and possess the movement to speak up for Stewart and Wilson on the border. Magbegor is actually specifically experienced versus each enemies, having faced Stewart virtual for three years as Tornado colleagues and also compared along with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The greatest difficulty for Magbegor and also Smith is repulsive problem. Magbegor grabbed 3 first-half fouls versus Canada, and Smith had 2 in the first one-fourth versus France, confining their moments. Back-up George is actually a hard, knowledgeable gamer (she scored 18 points in 24 minutes versus Serbia) however no place near as sports on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up a valid issue. Yet provided the take in Stewart and also Wilson contend this stage-- Stewart is going with her 3rd Olympic gold as well as Wilson her second, while Magbegor as well as Smith are seeming in their very first Video games-- I would certainly anticipate the Team U.S.A. extremely duo to help make the winning participates in needed in such a high-pressure situation to breakthrough to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and also Belgium will be actually a tougher enemy for Group USA?Pelton: I'm picking Belgium, which offered the USA women their toughest Olympic exam but. The Americans dominated through 13 factors, although the scope was just seven getting in the fourth one-fourth of a team phase activity played in Lille, France, near the borderline along with Belgium. All this even with Belgium going just 5-of-27 in 3-point firing, with Julie Vanloo specifically battling coming from downtown while missing out on 10 of her 11 efforts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 from 3, scoring thirteen aspects with 7 aids (albeit along with 9 turnovers) as Belgium navigated past Spain, the just other group besides the U.S. that was unbeaten in pool play.Philippou: As the lot nation with the crowd on its own edge as well as plenty of satisfaction vulnerable, a hard protective crew in France definitely would not be actually a pushover, either, specifically if Marine Johannes can easily go off like she did against Germany along with 24 factors off the seat and with Gabby Williams breaking the ice on each ends.Has Group United States played its best basketball yet?Philippou: In-game uniformity, particularly on outburst, can still be a concern. There are actually times when the shortage of playing opportunity all together or even Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is actually still apparent. It goes without saying, there's a reason that Sue Bird lately mentioned on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that United States Baseball is actually one of the most annoying baseball she has actually ever before played. After a bit of a slow begin, the U.S. eventually led through 30 in the 3rd one-fourth against Nigeria, however Reeve couldn't have actually loved how her group enabled the D'Tigress to make it a 14-point activity prior to the final buzzer. Through four games, the Americans' lack of 3-point capturing hasn't actually been actually treated, which could be an issue if rivals get hot coming from deep.Team United States can't overlook any one of the continuing to be crews in the field, yet along with a protective identity and also offensive prowess led by Stewart as well as Wilson, it has actually revealed it may put games away when it needs to have to, one thing that should move over right into the ultimate pair of games.Pelton: On the other side, I assume the shooting is actually likewise cause to believe there is actually another gear for the united state females. Together, the 12 players on the roster have actually integrated to shoot thirty three% on 3-point attempts in the WNBA this season. That will not make a "Sprinkle Sis" label at any time very soon, but it is actually additionally better than Staff United States has actually managed coming from the much shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are outstanding to heat up from long assortment. Look out if they eventually perform.