.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers females's university baseball and also the WNBA.Previously covered UConn and also the WNBA Connecticut Sunshine for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate as well as Baltimore indigenous along with further encounter at the Dallas Morning Headlines, Seat Times and Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Writer Co-author, Pro Baseball Syllabus set.In the past a specialist with the Indiana Pacers.Created WARP score as well as SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo international opponents will definitely reunite on Friday, as the United States girls's basketball staff confronts the Australian Opals along with a spot in the 2024 Paris Games' gold award match on the line.Team United States, which is riding a touch of 59 consecutive Olympic success, improved to the semifinals with an 88-74 overcome Nigeria on Wednesday. Adhering to an upset reduction to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung with each other 3 upright victories, including Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal selection over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the united state ladies have been the gold specification for baseball across the world, succeeding seven consecutive Olympic gold awards and also 9 total, Australia has actually been a famous giant alongside all of them. The Opals have actually medaled in 5 of the past 7 Summer seasons Gamings, take away three silvers as well as pair of bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris denotes the very first time they have actually developed past the quarterfinals since the 2012 Greater london Video games.2012 likewise was actually the last time the epic Lauren Jackson suited up on the Olympic phase for the green and gold-- until now. While Team U.S.A. possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals have Jackson, 43, showing up in her fifth Games as well as first in 12 years. Jackson has actually always medaled in the competitors, and also though she has seen limited action until now in France, she possesses an opportunity to carry on that touch this weekend.Australia-- which includes 6 energetic WNBA players-- has lots of drive, however the Opals are actually 0-20 all time against the U.S. senior nationwide crew, featuring 0-8 in Olympic competitors. In the course of the five Games through which they medaled, Australia dropped to the united state either in the semifinals or the gold award contest. The teams last fulfilled in 2020, when the Americans prevailed 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and Kevin Pelton break down some of the pressing questions moving right into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart debts Jackie Youthful for jump-starting Crew USABreanna Stewart talks with Brian Windhorst after Staff U.S.A.'s 14-point gain Nigeria to progress to the semifinals.Team USA shifted up its own starting 5 versus Nigeria, with Jackie Youthful instead of Diana Taurasi. Did the action fix its own problems in the backcourt?Philippou: Starting Youthful instead of Taurasi-- who possessed last go over the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the right move. Along with 15 factors against Nigeria, Youthful appears to be taking a job as Group United States's 3rd marker responsible for A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. (Undoubtedly, Young is actually the just other USA gamer averaging double figures at 10.3 factors every game.) Young, among 3 Las Vegas Aces players in the starting 5, exhibited her 3-point firing previously versus Germany, going 5-of-8. Yet while she went scoreless from deep on Wednesday, it was her capacity to obtain downhill as well as hit from midrange that stood apart, together with her hallmark defense in the backcourt. It took until the middle of the 2nd fourth for the U.S. to actually put its feet on the gasoline versus Nigeria, but Youthful's hostility as well as energy on both ends should continue to pay dividends. And Taurasi seemed to be to perform properly off the bench, where she boosted as a company with 4 assists.Pelton: I 'd really love to observe starting point guard Chelsea Gray be a hazard to score. She missed out on all three of her shot efforts in the quarterfinals, bringing Gray to 1-of-13 until now during the course of the Olympics. Incredibly, the united state outscored Nigeria through merely 2 factors in Gray's 17:27, while all four other beginners had a plus-minus of plus-17 or even better while on the court.Still, as I discussed in our final roundtable, the USA ladies may get rid of one non-scorer in the starting five as long as she is actually delivering another thing to the desk. And Gray is actually along with her playmaking, having actually today amounted to 22 aids versus simply three turn overs. Thus, I do not assume train Cheryl Reeve requires to create additional changes.Photo through Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty ImagesWhat concerns do the Australians posture, as well as what can make all of them a hard matchup?Top tales of the week from Receive special access to thousands of costs short articles a year from best authors. u2022 Solak: Appealing NFL QB student training class "u2022 MLB: Legendary AL MVP struggle, other honors "u2022 25 essential players in CFP ethnicity" Even more ESPN+ information ".Philippou: WNBA followers will be actually properly aware of this Opals squad, which includes the Seattle Tornado's Ezi Magbegor and also Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Smith, Los Angeles Triggers' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Baggage Melbourne as well as Indiana High temperature's Kristy Wallace, plus New York Liberty coach Sandy Brondello responsible. Not only perform the Opals have the skill to complete against Team USA. They have drive and fix following their disappointing start to the Olympics. Brondello has been satisfied with her crew's poise and guts over recent week, 2 premiums an opponent needs when facing the Americans.The Opals, whose balanced strike boasts five players balancing a minimum of 8.0 PPG, may harm opponents inside along with Magbegor as well as Johnson but likewise from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the best in the Olympic industry as well as a lot greater than Group United States's tiny 30.8%. Whitcomb as well as Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while with the Sin City Aces, lead the team along with 8 and also 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: Theoretically, Australia is actually deeper and also much more skilled than any type of team in the field except for the USA ladies. We can question the greatest global player at the Paris Video Games, with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and Satou Sabally (Germany) as strong candidates. But no crew possesses a pair of gamers comparable to the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and Smith, each of whom would certainly possess gotten on my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was actually not called to the group this time in spite of comparable manufacturing.) As well as no team outside the U.S. possesses almost as a lot WNBA adventure throughout its roster.Given everything talent, it was shocking when Australia shed its own position video game to Nigeria at that point barely beat winless Canada. In their previous two activities, our company have actually viewed the Opals we counted on, as they beat exceeded France to advance to the knockout stage as well as led Serbia by as lots of as 28 in an uneven quarterfinal victory.A' Ja recipes to Stewie for 3. LeBron permits. USA System and Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can easily any person stop Breanna Stewart as well as A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. But if anybody is actually visiting have them, it's the duo of Magbegor and Johnson. Australia's blog post players rank second (Magbegor, 2.4) and 4th (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every video game and possess the movement to stand up for Stewart and also Wilson on the perimeter. Magbegor is actually particularly experienced versus each opponents, having dealt with Stewart virtual for 3 years as Hurricane allies as well as matched up with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The most significant hurdle for Magbegor and also Smith is foul issue. Magbegor picked up 3 first-half fouls versus Canada, and also Johnson had pair of in the very first quarter versus France, limiting their mins. Back-up George is a hard, experienced player (she scored 18 aspects in 24 mins against Serbia) but nowhere near as sports on defense.Philippou: Pelton raises a valid concern. But offered the experience Stewart as well as Wilson contend this phase-- Stewart is going for her third Olympic gold as well as Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor and also Johnson are seeming in their very first Games-- I would certainly expect the Crew U.S.A. very duo to help make the winning plays required in such a high-pressure scenario to breakthrough to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France as well as Belgium will be a harder challenger for Group USA?Pelton: I am actually selecting Belgium, which offered the united state women their most difficult Olympic exam however. The Americans prevailed through thirteen points, although the scope was actually only seven getting into the fourth quarter of a group stage video game played in Lille, France, near the perimeter along with Belgium. All this despite Belgium going just 5-of-27 in 3-point firing, with Julie Vanloo particularly struggling coming from downtown while missing 10 of her 11 attempts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point guard went 3-of-5 from 3, scoring 13 points along with 7 helps (albeit along with nine turnovers) as Belgium navigated past Spain, the merely various other staff besides the united state that was actually unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the host nation with the group on its side and also lots of pride on the line, a hard defensive staff in France definitely would not be a pushover, either, especially if Marine Johannes can go off like she performed versus Germany with 24 aspects off the bench and with Gabby Williams breaking the ice on each ends.Has Staff U.S.A. played its finest baseball yet?Philippou: In-game congruity, specifically on offense, may 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 noticeable. Besides, there's a reason Sue Bird lately said on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that USA Baseball is actually one of the most unpleasant baseball she has actually ever before played. After a little bit of a slow-moving start, the U.S. ultimately led through 30 in the 3rd quarter versus Nigeria, but Reeve couldn't have liked exactly how her crew enabled the D'Tigress to make it a 14-point activity before the last buzzer. By means of four activities, the Americans' lack of 3-point capturing have not definitely been actually remedied, which can be a concern if rivals get hot from deep.Team U.S.A. can not ignore some of the staying groups in the business, but with a defensive identification and also aggressive adeptness led through Stewart and also Wilson, it has actually revealed it can easily put games away when it needs to have to, one thing that must move over right into the ultimate pair of games.Pelton: On the other side, I presume the firing is likewise main reason to feel there's an additional gear for the USA females. Jointly, the 12 gamers on the lineup have integrated to shoot thirty three% on 3-point tries in the WNBA this season. That will not get a "Burst Sisters" label at any time quickly, however it is actually additionally far better than Group U.S.A. has managed coming 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 up from lengthy array. Watch out if they lastly do.