.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers ladies's college basketball as well as the WNBA.Previously covered UConn and also the WNBA Connecticut Sunlight for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate and Baltimore native along with additional encounter at the Dallas Morning Information, Seat Times as well as Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Citizen Writer Co-author, Pro Basketball Prospectus collection.Previously a consultant with the Indiana Pacers.Developed WARP rating and SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo international competitors are going to meet again on Friday, as the USA ladies's baseball crew faces the Australian Opals with a spot in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold medal suit on the line.Team United States, which is using a streak of 59 successive Olympic success, advanced to the semifinals along with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Following an upset reduction to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung together three upright success, consisting of Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal decision over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the U.S. women have actually been the gold standard for baseball all over the globe, gaining seven consecutive Olympic gold medals and also 9 overall, Australia has been a historic goliath alongside them. The Opals have actually medaled in 5 of the past 7 Summer seasons Video games, taking home three silvers and pair of bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris marks the very first time they have actually improved past the quarterfinals since the 2012 London Games.2012 also was the final time the famous Lauren Jackson wore on the Olympic phase for the green as well as gold-- previously. While Group United States has 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals have Jackson, 43, appearing in her fifth Games and first in 12 years. Jackson has actually always medaled in the competitors, as well as though she has found limited action thus far in France, she has an opportunity to proceed that streak this weekend.Australia-- which flaunts 6 active WNBA gamers-- has plenty of momentum, but the Opals are actually 0-20 all time versus the U.S. senior nationwide staff, including 0-8 in Olympic competitors. During the course of the 5 Video games through which they medaled, Australia shed to the USA either in the semifinals or the gold award contest. The squads final satisfied in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and also Kevin Pelton break a number of the pressing questions heading right into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit scores Jackie Youthful for jump-starting Staff USABreanna Stewart chats along with Brian Windhorst after Staff U.S.A.'s 14-point draw Nigeria to evolve to the semifinals.Team U.S.A. shifted up its beginning five versus Nigeria, along with Jackie Young in place of Diana Taurasi. Performed the step fix its own concerns in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Youthful instead of Taurasi-- who had last come off the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was the right step. With 15 aspects versus Nigeria, Youthful looks taking a function as Team U.S.A.'s 3rd scorer behind A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. (Indeed, Youthful is actually the just various other U.S. player balancing double designs at 10.3 aspects every activity.) Youthful, some of three Las Vegas Aces players in the starting five, showed off her 3-point firing previously versus Germany, going 5-of-8. But while she went scoreless from deeper on Wednesday, it was her potential to receive downhill and also reach from midrange that stood apart, along with her trademark protection in the backcourt. It took until the center of the second quarter for the united state to really put its own foot on the gasoline versus Nigeria, however Youthful's hostility and also electricity on each ends need to remain to return. As well as Taurasi appeared to do well off the bench, where she stepped up as a company along with 4 assists.Pelton: I would certainly love to observe beginning point guard Chelsea Gray be actually a danger to credit rating. She overlooked all three of her try attempts in the quarterfinals, taking Gray to 1-of-13 so far during the course of the Olympics. Incredibly, the USA outscored Nigeria through just 2 aspects in Gray's 17:27, while all four other beginners possessed a plus-minus of plus-17 or much better while on the court.Still, as I mentioned in our final roundtable, the united state women may eliminate one non-scorer in the beginning 5 as long as she is actually taking something else to the table. And Gray is actually along with her playmaking, having now amounted to 22 aids against only three turnovers. So, I do not assume instructor Cheryl Reeve needs to create additional changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE by means of Getty ImagesWhat problems do the Australians posture, and what could possibly make them a hard matchup?Top accounts of the week from Receive exclusive access to thousands of superior articles a year from leading writers. u2022 Solak: Appealing NFL QB sophomore training class "u2022 MLB: Epic AL MVP battle, various other awards "u2022 25 crucial players in CFP ethnicity" More ESPN+ information ".Philippou: WNBA fans will definitely be actually properly knowledgeable about this Opals squad, which features the Seattle Hurricane's Ezi Magbegor as well as Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Stimulates' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Baggage Melbourne and Indiana High temperature's Kristy Wallace, plus New York Freedom trainer Sandy Brondello responsible. Not merely carry out the Opals possess the ability to complete versus Crew USA. They have momentum as well as resolve observing their frustrating start to the Olympics. Brondello has been pleased with her group's poise and also grit over recent full week, two qualities an enemy requires when encountering the Americans.The Opals, whose balanced attack flaunts 5 gamers averaging a minimum of 8.0 PPG, can harm opponents inside with Magbegor and also Smith but also from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the best in the Olympic area and a lot greater than Crew USA's tiny 30.8%. Whitcomb and also Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while along with the Las Vegas Aces, lead the group with 8 and seven treys, respectively.Pelton: Abstractly, Australia is actually much deeper as well as much more proficient than any type of crew in the field barring the USA girls. Our team can easily discuss the most effective worldwide gamer at the Paris Video Games, with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and also Satou Sabally (Germany) as powerful candidates. But no staff possesses a set of gamers just as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and Johnson, both of whom would possess been on my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was actually certainly not called to the staff this period in spite of comparable production.) And also no staff outside the U.S. has virtually as a lot WNBA knowledge throughout its roster.Given the only thing that ability, it was actually astonishing when Australia shed its position game to Nigeria after that hardly beat winless Canada. In their previous 2 games, our team've viewed the Opals we anticipated, as they defeat surpassed France to develop to the knockout stage and led Serbia through as several as 28 in an unequal quarterfinal victory.A' Ja foods to Stewie for three. LeBron approves. U.S.A. Network and Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can anyone stop Breanna Stewart as well as A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. Yet if anybody is heading to contain all of them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor and also Smith. Australia's message players position second (Magbegor, 2.4) and also 4th (Johnson, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every game as well as have the flexibility to speak up for Stewart as well as Wilson on the border. Magbegor is especially experienced against each enemies, having faced Stewart virtual for 3 years as Tornado teammates as well as matched up with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The greatest obstacle for Magbegor as well as Johnson is foul trouble. Magbegor got 3 first-half fouls against Canada, as well as Smith had pair of in the very first one-fourth versus France, restricting their moments. Back-up George is a difficult, proficient player (she racked up 18 aspects in 24 moments against Serbia) however no place near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up an authentic issue. However provided the experience Stewart as well as Wilson contend this stage-- Stewart is opting for her 3rd Olympic gold and Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor and also Smith are actually looking in their 1st Video games-- I will count on the Staff United States incredibly duo to help make the winning participates in needed in such a stressful situation to breakthrough to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France as well as Belgium will be a harder challenger for Staff USA?Pelton: I'm going with Belgium, which gave the U.S. girls their most difficult Olympic test but. The Americans prevailed through 13 factors, although the scope was actually only seven getting in the fourth quarter of a team stage video game played in Lille, France, near the borderline with Belgium. All this even with Belgium going merely 5-of-27 in 3-point firing, with Julie Vanloo especially battling coming from downtown while missing 10 of her 11 efforts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point guard went 3-of-5 coming from 3, racking up thirteen aspects with seven assists (albeit along with 9 turnovers) as Belgium navigated previous Spain, the only various other crew besides the USA that was unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the multitude nation with the group on its own edge and also lots of pleasure vulnerable, a hard protective staff in France definitely would not be actually a pushover, either, especially if Marine Johannes can blow up like she performed versus Germany with 24 aspects off the seat as well as with Gabby Williams breaking the ice on both ends.Has Group U.S.A. played its ideal basketball yet?Philippou: In-game consistency, particularly on offense, may still be actually a concern. There are opportunities when the absence of participating in time all together or even Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is actually still apparent. It goes without saying, there's a reason Sue Bird lately pointed out on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that U.S.A. Basketball is actually the absolute most annoying basketball she has actually ever participated in. After a little a slow-moving beginning, the united state eventually led by 30 in the third quarter against Nigeria, however Reeve couldn't have actually loved how her staff enabled the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point video game before the final buzzer. With 4 activities, the Americans' lack of 3-point firing hasn't really been solved, which might be a problem if opponents get hot coming from deep.Team U.S.A. can not forget some of the remaining teams in the business, however along with a protective identification and offensive adeptness led through Stewart and also Wilson, it has shown it can easily place activities away when it requires to, one thing that ought to transfer over right into the last 2 games.Pelton: On the other side, I assume the firing is actually also factor to think there's one more equipment for the USA females. Collectively, the 12 gamers on the lineup have actually integrated to fire thirty three% on 3-point attempts in the WNBA this season. That will not earn a "Burst Siblings" nickname whenever very soon, yet it is actually also much better than Team U.S.A. has dealt with coming from the briefer 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) as well as Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually overdue to warm up from long selection. Watch out if they finally carry out.