.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers females's college baseball and the WNBA.Earlier covered UConn and also the WNBA Connecticut Sunlight for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate and also Baltimore indigenous with further take in at the Dallas Morning Updates, Seattle Moments and Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Citizen Author Co-author, Pro Basketball Syllabus series.Formerly a consultant along with the Indiana Pacers.Built WARP rating as well as SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo global opponents will definitely reunite on Friday, as the USA girls's baseball crew takes on the Australian Opals with an area in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold medal match on the line.Team U.S.A., which is riding a streak of 59 successive Olympic victories, advanced to the semifinals with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Complying with a distressed loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung together 3 upright victories, featuring Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal decision over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the united state ladies have actually been the gold standard for baseball all over the world, winning seven consecutive Olympic gold awards and 9 overall, Australia has actually been actually a historic giant along with all of them. The Opals have actually medaled in 5 of the past seven Summer Games, take away three silvers as well as 2 bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris marks the very first time they've developed past the quarterfinals considering that the 2012 Greater london Video games.2012 additionally was the last opportunity the legendary Lauren Jackson wore on the Olympic stage for the environment-friendly and gold-- previously. While Team United States has 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, showing up in her fifth Games as well as first in 12 years. Jackson has actually regularly medaled in the competitors, and though she has actually viewed restricted action so far in France, she has a chance to continue that touch this weekend.Australia-- which includes six active WNBA players-- has plenty of momentum, but the Opals are actually 0-20 perpetuity versus the USA elderly nationwide team, including 0-8 in Olympic competition. During the five Video games through which they medaled, Australia shed to the USA either in the semifinals or the gold medal contest. The teams last satisfied in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and Kevin Pelton malfunction some of journalism inquiries moving into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart debts Jackie Youthful for jump-starting Crew USABreanna Stewart talks along with Brian Windhorst after Team U.S.A.'s 14-point draw Nigeria to advance to the semifinals.Team U.S.A. switched over up its beginning five against Nigeria, along with Jackie Youthful instead of Diana Taurasi. Did the move correct its concerns in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Youthful instead of Taurasi-- who possessed last come off the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the right action. With 15 points versus Nigeria, Youthful looks carving out a task as Team United States's 3rd scorer behind A'ja Wilson as well as Breanna Stewart. (Indeed, Youthful is actually the only various other U.S. player averaging dual figures at 10.3 aspects per activity.) Young, some of three Sin city Aces players in the beginning 5, flaunted her 3-point firing earlier against Germany, going 5-of-8. But while she went scoreless coming from deeper on Wednesday, it was her potential to obtain downhill and reach from midrange that stood apart, alongside her trademark protection in the backcourt. It took until the center of the 2nd quarter for the united state to really put its own feet on the gas versus Nigeria, however Youthful's aggressiveness and also electricity on both ends should continue to return. And Taurasi seemed to accomplish well off the bench, where she boosted as a company with four assists.Pelton: I 'd enjoy to find starting point guard Chelsea Gray be actually a risk to credit rating. She missed out on all 3 of her shot efforts in the quarterfinals, delivering Gray to 1-of-13 up until now in the course of the Olympics. Extremely, the USA outscored Nigeria through just pair of aspects in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 various other starters possessed a plus-minus of plus-17 or far better while on the court.Still, as I stated in our last roundtable, the U.S. girls can easily eliminate one non-scorer in the starting 5 so long as she is carrying another thing to the table. And Gray is actually along with her playmaking, having actually today amounted to 22 helps versus only three turnovers. Therefore, I don't think coach Cheryl Reeve needs to have to make additional changes.Photo through Garrett Ellwood/NBAE by means of Getty ImagesWhat troubles do the Australians pose, and also what could possibly create them a tough matchup?Top tales of the week coming from Get unique accessibility to countless fee articles a year coming from best authors. u2022 Solak: Interesting NFL QB student training class "u2022 MLB: Impressive AL MVP war, other awards "u2022 25 essential gamers in CFP ethnicity" Even more ESPN+ web content ".Philippou: WNBA fans will definitely be properly acquainted with this Opals squad, which includes the Seattle Hurricane's Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Stimulates' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Baggage Melbourne and also Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus The big apple Freedom coach Sandy Brondello at the helm. Certainly not simply do the Opals have the skill to complete against Crew U.S.A.. They have energy and also fix following their unsatisfying beginning to the Olympics. Brondello has actually been pleased along with her group's grace as well as grit over the past full week, two top qualities a challenger needs when experiencing the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced assault flaunts 5 gamers balancing a minimum of 8.0 PPG, can easily injure foes inside with Magbegor and Johnson yet additionally coming from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the most ideal in the Olympic industry as well as much greater than Crew United States's puny 30.8%. Whitcomb and also Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while along with the Sin City Aces, lead the group with eight and also seven treys, respectively.Pelton: Theoretically, Australia is much deeper and even more gifted than any crew in the field barring the USA ladies. Our experts can debate the very best international gamer at the Paris Games, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) as well as Satou Sabally (Germany) as sturdy candidates. However no crew possesses a pair of gamers just as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and also Smith, each of whom will have performed my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was actually not called to the team this season despite comparable production.) And also no team outside the USA possesses nearly as much WNBA experience throughout its roster.Given everything talent, it was astonishing when Australia dropped its own opening game to Nigeria then hardly beat winless Canada. In their previous pair of video games, we've seen the Opals our experts expected, as they defeat outdoed France to develop to the knockout stage and led Serbia through as several as 28 in an unbalanced quarterfinal victory.A' Ja meals to Stewie for three. LeBron permits. USA Network as well as Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 May anyone quit Breanna Stewart as well as A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. Yet if anyone is actually going to contain all of them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor as well as Smith. Australia's blog post players rate 2nd (Magbegor, 2.4) as well as fourth (Johnson, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every video game as well as possess the range of motion to speak up for Stewart and also Wilson on the perimeter. Magbegor is especially experienced against both enemies, having experienced Stewart in practice for 3 years as Storm teammates and matched up with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The biggest difficulty for Magbegor as well as Smith is repulsive trouble. Magbegor got 3 first-half fouls against Canada, as well as Smith possessed pair of in the very first fourth versus France, restricting their mins. Backup George is a difficult, knowledgeable player (she scored 18 factors in 24 moments versus Serbia) yet no place near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up an authentic concern. But offered the experience Stewart and Wilson have at this phase-- Stewart is actually selecting her 3rd Olympic gold as well as Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor as well as Smith are showing up in their very first Video games-- I would certainly expect the Crew United States incredibly duo to create the winning plays important in such a high-pressure condition to development to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and Belgium would certainly be a harder opponent for Crew USA?Pelton: I'm selecting Belgium, which offered the U.S. girls their most difficult Olympic exam yet. The Americans prevailed through 13 factors, although the margin was only 7 entering into the fourth one-fourth of a team phase video game played in Lille, France, near the borderline with Belgium. All this even with Belgium going merely 5-of-27 in 3-point capturing, with Julie Vanloo especially straining from midtown while overlooking 10 of her 11 tries. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 coming from 3, scoring 13 factors with 7 helps (albeit along with nine turn overs) as Belgium cruised previous Spain, the only various other crew besides the united state that was actually unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the host nation along with the crowd on its side and loads of pleasure on the line, a tough defensive team in France wouldn't be a piece of cake, either, specifically if Marine Johannes can easily go off like she performed versus Germany along with 24 points off the bench and also with Gabby Williams blazing a trail on both ends.Has Crew USA played its absolute best basketball yet?Philippou: In-game congruity, particularly on outburst, can easily still be a concern. There are times when the lack of playing opportunity together or even Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is still obvious. After all, there's a reason Sue Bird recently said on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that U.S.A. Basketball is the best uncomfortable baseball she has ever participated in. After a little a slow-moving start, the U.S. eventually led by 30 in the third one-fourth against Nigeria, but Reeve could not have enjoyed exactly how her team allowed the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point video game just before the ultimate buzzer. With 4 video games, the Americans' absence of 3-point firing hasn't really been fixed, which may be an issue if enemies fume from deep.Team United States can not forget any of the remaining crews in the business, but along with a protective identity as well as aggressive expertise led through Stewart and also Wilson, it has presented it can put games away when it needs to, something that ought to transfer over in to the ultimate 2 games.Pelton: On the flip side, I think the firing is actually also cause to think there's another gear for the U.S. girls. Jointly, the 12 gamers on the roster have combined to fire 33% on 3-point efforts in the WNBA this season. That won't make a "Burst Sisters" nickname at any time quickly, but it's additionally better than Staff USA has actually handled coming from the briefer 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually outstanding to heat up from long variation. Look out if they lastly carry out.