.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers ladies's university baseball and the WNBA.Formerly covered UConn and the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant.Stanford grad and Baltimore indigenous along with additional take in at the Dallas Early Morning Information, Seat Times and also Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Article Writer Co-author, Pro Baseball Program series.Previously a professional along with the Indiana Pacers.Established WARP score and SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo global opponents will definitely meet again on Friday, as the USA women's basketball group confronts the Australian Opals with a spot in the 2024 Paris Games' gold medal suit on the line.Team United States, which is actually riding a streak of 59 successive Olympic victories, developed to the semifinals along with an 88-74 overcome Nigeria on Wednesday. Adhering to a dismayed loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung together three straight victories, consisting of Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal choice over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the USA girls have actually been actually the gold standard for baseball across the planet, succeeding seven consecutive Olympic gold awards as well as 9 general, Australia has been a historic giant together with all of them. The Opals have medaled in 5 of recent 7 Summers months Gamings, taking home 3 silvers and also two bronze, although their semifinal run in Paris marks the first time they have actually improved past the quarterfinals due to the fact that the 2012 Greater london Games.2012 also was the last opportunity the famous Lauren Jackson suited up on the Olympic phase for the environment-friendly as well as gold-- until now. While Crew United States possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals have Jackson, 43, seeming in her fifth Gamings as well as initially in 12 years. Jackson has actually regularly medaled in the competition, and also though she has actually found minimal activity so far in France, she possesses a possibility to proceed that touch this weekend.Australia-- which flaunts 6 energetic WNBA gamers-- has lots of momentum, but the Opals are actually 0-20 perpetuity versus the USA elderly nationwide crew, consisting of 0-8 in Olympic competition. In the course of the five Video games in which they medaled, Australia shed to the U.S. either in the semifinals or even the gold medal contest. The teams last met in 2020, when the Americans prevailed 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and also Kevin Pelton malfunction some of journalism inquiries moving into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit histories Jackie Youthful for jump-starting Crew USABreanna Stewart talks along with Brian Windhorst after Staff United States's 14-point win over Nigeria to accelerate to the semifinals.Team USA shifted up its own starting 5 versus Nigeria, along with Jackie Youthful in place of Diana Taurasi. Carried out the step correct its concerns in the backcourt?Philippou: Starting Youthful in place of Taurasi-- that possessed final come off the bench at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the appropriate technique. Along with 15 aspects versus Nigeria, Young looks taking a role as Group U.S.A.'s 3rd marker behind A'ja Wilson as well as Breanna Stewart. (Indeed, Young is the only other USA player averaging dual figures at 10.3 points every video game.) Youthful, among 3 Sin city Aces players in the beginning 5, showed off her 3-point firing earlier versus Germany, going 5-of-8. But while she went scoreless from deep-seated on Wednesday, it was her ability to get downhill and also reach coming from midrange that attracted attention, along with her trademark defense in the backcourt. It took until the center of the second fourth for the U.S. to truly put its own foot on the gas versus Nigeria, however Young's aggression and energy on both ends must continue to pay dividends. And Taurasi appeared to carry out effectively off the seat, where she improved as a company along with four assists.Pelton: I 'd adore to see beginning point guard Chelsea Gray be actually a hazard to score. She missed out on all three of her chance attempts in the quarterfinals, taking Gray to 1-of-13 so far in the course of the Olympics. Remarkably, the U.S. outscored Nigeria through merely 2 factors in Gray's 17:27, while all four other beginners possessed a plus-minus of plus-17 or even much better while on the court.Still, as I stated in our last roundtable, the U.S. girls can easily get rid of one non-scorer in the starting 5 so long as she is actually delivering another thing to the table. And Gray is actually along with her playmaking, having right now completed 22 assists against just three turnovers. Thus, I do not think instructor Cheryl Reeve needs to have to make further changes.Photo through Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty ImagesWhat concerns carry out the Australians present, and also what could possibly create them a tough matchup?Top accounts of the week from Obtain special accessibility to lots of premium articles a year coming from best article writers. u2022 Solak: Interesting NFL QB sophomore course "u2022 MLB: Impressive AL MVP struggle, various other awards "u2022 25 crucial players in CFP nationality" Even more ESPN+ content ".Philippou: WNBA supporters will certainly be well familiar with this Opals team, which includes the Seat Hurricane's Ezi Magbegor as well as Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Stimulates' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Baggage Melbourne as well as Indiana High temperature's Kristy Wallace, plus The big apple Right coach Sandy Brondello responsible. Not only perform the Opals have the skill to complete against Staff United States. They have momentum as well as fix following their unsatisfying begin to the Olympics. Brondello has actually been felt free to along with her team's grace and also guts over recent full week, 2 premiums an opponent requires when facing the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced strike includes 5 gamers averaging at the very least 8.0 PPG, can easily injure opponents inside along with Magbegor as well as Smith however additionally coming from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the most effective in the Olympic industry and also much higher than Team U.S.A.'s modest 30.8%. Whitcomb and Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while with the Sin City Aces, lead the team with eight and 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: On paper, Australia is much deeper and even more talented than any staff in the field save for the USA girls. We may dispute the most ideal worldwide player at the Paris Video Games, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) as well as Satou Sabally (Germany) as sturdy prospects. But no group has a pair of gamers comparable to the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor as well as Johnson, both of whom would have been on my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was actually certainly not named to the group this period in spite of comparable development.) And no group outside the USA has almost as a lot WNBA expertise throughout its roster.Given all that talent, it was actually stunning when Australia shed its position video game to Nigeria after that rarely trump winless Canada. In their previous pair of video games, our team've observed the Opals our team counted on, as they defeat exceeded France to advance to the knockout phase and also led Serbia through as lots of as 28 in an askew quarterfinal victory.A' Ja recipes to Stewie for three. LeBron permits. USA System and also Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can easily any person quit Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. However if anybody is actually visiting include all of them, it's the duo of Magbegor as well as Johnson. Australia's article players position second (Magbegor, 2.4) and 4th (Johnson, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every game as well as have the range of motion to defend Stewart and also Wilson on the boundary. Magbegor is actually particularly experienced against both enemies, having faced Stewart in practice for three years as Hurricane allies and also compared along with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The largest barrier for Magbegor and Johnson is actually repulsive issue. Magbegor got 3 first-half fouls against Canada, and also Johnson possessed two in the first quarter versus France, limiting their moments. Backup George is a challenging, experienced player (she racked up 18 factors in 24 moments against Serbia) yet nowhere near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton raises an authentic problem. Yet given the take in Stewart and also Wilson contend this stage-- Stewart is actually opting for her 3rd Olympic gold and Wilson her second, while Magbegor and Johnson are looking in their 1st Video games-- I 'd count on the Group USA incredibly duo to create the winning participates in necessary in such a high-pressure scenario to advancement to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and also Belgium would be a tougher rival for Staff USA?Pelton: I am actually picking Belgium, which gave the USA ladies their most difficult Olympic exam but. The Americans dominated through 13 factors, although the scope was actually only 7 getting into the 4th one-fourth of a group stage game played in Lille, France, near the borderline along with Belgium. All this in spite of Belgium going just 5-of-27 in 3-point shooting, with Julie Vanloo especially having a hard time from midtown while overlooking 10 of her 11 tries. On Wednesday, the Mystics point guard went 3-of-5 coming from 3, racking up thirteen factors along with seven helps (albeit along with nine turnovers) as Belgium travelled past Spain, the merely various other staff besides the USA that was unbeaten in pool play.Philippou: As the lot nation with the crowd on its side and also plenty of pride vulnerable, a complicated defensive group in France wouldn't be actually a pushover, either, specifically if Marine Johannes may blow up like she carried out versus Germany along with 24 aspects off the bench and also along with Gabby Williams breaking the ice on both ends.Has Team USA played its finest baseball yet?Philippou: In-game uniformity, especially on offense, can easily still be a concern. There are times when the absence of participating in time together or even Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is actually still evident. Nevertheless, there is actually a reason Sue Bird just recently stated on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that United States Baseball is actually the best uncomfortable basketball she has ever participated in. After a little bit of a slow begin, the USA ultimately led through 30 in the 3rd quarter against Nigeria, yet Reeve couldn't have loved exactly how her group made it possible for the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point game prior to the last buzzer. Through four activities, the Americans' absence of 3-point capturing hasn't really been corrected, which may be a problem if enemies fume from deep.Team USA can not ignore some of the remaining crews in the business, yet with a defensive identification and also aggressive prowess led by Stewart and also Wilson, it has presented it can easily put video games away when it needs to, something that needs to transfer over in to the last two games.Pelton: On the other hand, I believe the firing is actually also main reason to believe there's yet another equipment for the USA ladies. Together, the 12 gamers on the lineup have combined to shoot thirty three% on 3-point tries in the WNBA this time. That won't earn a "Dash Sis" nickname whenever quickly, but it's also better than Team USA has handled from the shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) as well as Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually outstanding to warm up coming from long assortment. Keep an eye out if they lastly do.