.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers girls's college baseball and the WNBA.Previously covered UConn and also the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant.Stanford grad and also Baltimore indigenous along with additional experience at the Dallas Early Morning Updates, Seat Moments as well as Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Elderly Person Author Co-author, Pro Basketball Prospectus set.In the past an expert along with the Indiana Pacers.Built WARP ranking as well as SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo global rivals will definitely reunite on Friday, as the USA females's baseball team confronts the Australian Opals along with an area in the 2024 Paris Gamings' gold medal suit on the line.Team United States, which is actually riding a streak of 59 consecutive Olympic success, improved to the semifinals with an 88-74 overcome Nigeria on Wednesday. Observing an upset loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung with each other three straight victories, consisting of Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal decision over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the USA ladies have been actually the gold specification for baseball all over the planet, gaining seven consecutive Olympic gold medals 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 7 Summer Games, taking home 3 silvers as well as 2 bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris notes the very first time they've developed past the quarterfinals considering that the 2012 Greater london Games.2012 additionally was actually the last opportunity the epic Lauren Jackson suited up on the Olympic stage for the environment-friendly and also gold-- previously. While Staff USA possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals have Jackson, 43, seeming in her fifth Video games and initially in 12 years. Jackson has consistently medaled in the competition, and though she has actually observed minimal action thus far in France, she possesses an opportunity to continue that touch this weekend.Australia-- which includes 6 active WNBA players-- has loads of drive, but the Opals are actually 0-20 perpetuity against the united state elderly national group, including 0-8 in Olympic competition. In the course of the 5 Gamings through which they medaled, Australia lost to the united state either in the semifinals or the gold award contest. The teams final satisfied in 2020, when the Americans prevailed 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and also Kevin Pelton break down a few of journalism inquiries moving right into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credits Jackie Youthful for jump-starting Crew USABreanna Stewart talks with Brian Windhorst after Crew U.S.A.'s 14-point get Nigeria to accelerate to the semifinals.Team United States changed up its own starting 5 versus Nigeria, along with Jackie Young instead of Diana Taurasi. Performed the move correct its own problems in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Young in place of Taurasi-- who possessed final go over the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the ideal relocation. With 15 aspects versus Nigeria, Youthful seems taking a part as Team United States's third marker behind A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. (Certainly, Youthful is the simply various other U.S. player averaging double designs at 10.3 factors every video game.) Young, among 3 Sin city Aces gamers in the starting five, displayed her 3-point capturing earlier against Germany, going 5-of-8. But while she went scoreless coming from deeper on Wednesday, it was her capability to acquire downhill and also hit coming from midrange that stuck out, along with her hallmark self defense in the backcourt. It took until the center of the 2nd fourth for the U.S. to actually place its own feet on the gasoline versus Nigeria, but Youthful's aggressiveness and also power on both ends need to continue to pay dividends. As well as Taurasi appeared to perform effectively off the bench, where she boosted as a company with four assists.Pelton: I would certainly love to see starting point player Chelsea Gray be a danger to score. She skipped all 3 of her chance efforts in the quarterfinals, bringing Gray to 1-of-13 up until now during the Olympics. Extremely, the USA outscored Nigeria by simply 2 points in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 other starters had a plus-minus of plus-17 or much better while on the court.Still, as I mentioned in our last roundtable, the united state women may get rid of one non-scorer in the beginning five as long as she is delivering another thing to the table. And Gray is actually with her playmaking, having actually right now completed 22 supports versus just 3 turnovers. Thus, I do not believe train Cheryl Reeve requires to make additional changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty ImagesWhat troubles do the Australians posture, and also what might make all of them a challenging matchup?Top accounts of the week from Get exclusive accessibility to countless premium short articles a year from leading writers. u2022 Solak: Fascinating NFL QB sophomore lesson "u2022 MLB: Epic AL MVP battle, various other honors "u2022 25 crucial gamers in CFP ethnicity" Additional ESPN+ web content ".Philippou: WNBA fans will certainly be effectively aware of this Opals squad, which features the Seattle Tornado's Ezi Magbegor and also Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Stimulates' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne and also Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus Nyc Right instructor Sandy Brondello responsible. Certainly not simply carry out the Opals have the ability to compete versus Group USA. They have drive and also willpower following their frustrating beginning to the Olympics. Brondello has actually been pleased with her staff's grace and grit over recent week, pair of top qualities an opponent needs when experiencing the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced attack boasts 5 gamers averaging at least 8.0 PPG, can easily hurt adversaries inside along with Magbegor and also Johnson however additionally from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the most ideal in the Olympic industry as well as much higher than Team United States's tiny 30.8%. Whitcomb and Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while with the Las Vegas Aces, lead the team along with 8 as well as 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: Abstractly, Australia is much deeper and a lot more skilled than any type of staff in the business save for the united state females. Our team can easily dispute the best international gamer at the Paris Games, with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) as well as Satou Sabally (Germany) as strong prospects. But no staff possesses a set of gamers like the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and also Johnson, each of whom will have been on my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was actually certainly not called to the team this time in spite of similar development.) And no crew outside the USA has nearly as a lot WNBA expertise throughout its roster.Given the only thing that ability, it was surprising when Australia shed its own opening game to Nigeria then hardly defeat winless Canada. In their previous two activities, our team have actually seen the Opals our team counted on, as they beat bested France to develop to the knockout stage and also led Serbia through as lots of as 28 in an askew quarterfinal victory.A' Ja recipes to Stewie for three. LeBron approves. USA System and Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can easily any individual cease Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. However if anyone is mosting likely to include all of them, it's the duo of Magbegor as well as Smith. Australia's message players rank 2nd (Magbegor, 2.4) and 4th (Johnson, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks per video game and also have the range of motion to stand up for Stewart and also Wilson on the boundary. Magbegor is specifically experienced versus each challengers, having dealt with Stewart virtual for three years as Storm teammates and also compared with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The greatest barrier for Magbegor and also Smith is filthy difficulty. Magbegor picked up 3 first-half fouls versus Canada, as well as Johnson possessed 2 in the very first quarter versus France, confining their mins. Backup George is a challenging, experienced gamer (she scored 18 aspects in 24 mins versus Serbia) yet nowhere near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton raises a legitimate concern. However provided the experience Stewart and Wilson have at this phase-- Stewart is actually selecting her third Olympic gold and also Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor and Smith are showing up in their very first Video games-- I will expect the Group United States very duo to make the winning participates in needed in such a stressful scenario to innovation to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and Belgium would certainly be a tougher enemy for Group USA?Pelton: I'm selecting Belgium, which offered the USA women their most difficult Olympic test yet. The Americans prevailed by thirteen aspects, although the margin was actually merely seven going into the fourth one-fourth of a team stage activity played in Lille, France, near the border with Belgium. All this in spite of Belgium going simply 5-of-27 in 3-point firing, with Julie Vanloo especially having a hard time from downtown while missing 10 of her 11 tries. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 coming from 3, racking up thirteen factors along with 7 helps (albeit along with 9 turn overs) as Belgium travelled past Spain, the just various other staff besides the USA that was actually unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the multitude nation with the crowd on its own side as well as lots of pleasure on the line, a complicated protective crew in France wouldn't be a piece of cake, either, specifically if Marine Johannes can go off like she did against Germany along with 24 factors off the seat and with Gabby Williams blazing a trail on each ends.Has Team USA played its finest basketball yet?Philippou: In-game uniformity, particularly on outburst, can easily still be an issue. There are actually opportunities when the shortage of participating in opportunity with each other or even Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is still noticeable. Besides, there is actually a reason Sue Bird recently stated on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that U.S.A. Basketball is the most awkward basketball she has actually ever before participated in. After a bit of a sluggish start, the U.S. eventually led by 30 in the third quarter against Nigeria, however Reeve couldn't have really loved just how her group allowed the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point game before the last buzzer. With 4 activities, the Americans' lack of 3-point capturing have not definitely been actually remedied, which might be a concern if opponents fume coming from deep.Team U.S.A. can not overlook any one of the remaining groups in the field, but along with a protective identification and also offensive prowess led through Stewart and also Wilson, it has actually revealed it can easily put games away when it needs to have to, something that needs to move over right into the final two games.Pelton: On the other side, I believe the capturing is actually likewise main reason to feel there's an additional gear for the USA ladies. Jointly, the 12 players on the roster have actually integrated to shoot thirty three% on 3-point efforts in the WNBA this time. That won't make a "Burst Siblings" nickname whenever quickly, but it's likewise much better than Team USA has dealt with coming from the much shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and also Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are overdue to warm up coming from long variation. Keep an eye out if they finally carry out.