.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers women's university basketball as well as the WNBA.Previously covered UConn and the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate and also Baltimore native along with further experience at the Dallas Morning News, Seat Times and also Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Article Writer Co-author, Pro Basketball Program collection.Formerly a professional along with the Indiana Pacers.Created WARP rating as well as SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo international competitors will certainly meet again on Friday, as the USA women's baseball team takes on the Australian Opals with a place in the 2024 Paris Games' gold award suit on the line.Team U.S.A., which is actually riding a streak of 59 successive Olympic victories, developed to the semifinals with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Observing a distressed loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung with each other three straight victories, consisting of Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal selection over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the U.S. females have actually been actually the gold criterion for basketball around the planet, gaining 7 consecutive Olympic gold medals and nine general, Australia has actually been a historic powerhouse alongside all of them. The Opals have medaled in five of recent seven Summer seasons Video games, take away three silvers and also two bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris denotes the first time they've developed past the quarterfinals considering that the 2012 London Gamings.2012 additionally was the last time the famous Lauren Jackson suited up on the Olympic stage for the environment-friendly and gold-- until now. While Team United States possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, seeming in her 5th Gamings and initially in 12 years. Jackson has regularly medaled in the competitors, as well as though she has viewed limited activity so far in France, she possesses a possibility to proceed that streak this weekend.Australia-- which flaunts six active WNBA gamers-- has loads of energy, however the Opals are actually 0-20 all time versus the united state elderly nationwide team, featuring 0-8 in Olympic competitors. During the 5 Games through which they medaled, Australia dropped to the united state either in the semifinals or even the gold medal competition. The teams final complied with in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and also Kevin Pelton break several of journalism questions moving right into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit scores Jackie Young for jump-starting Group USABreanna Stewart talks along with Brian Windhorst after Staff USA's 14-point win over Nigeria to accelerate to the semifinals.Team USA changed up its own beginning five against Nigeria, with Jackie Youthful instead of Diana Taurasi. Performed the technique fix its problems in the backcourt?Philippou: Starting Youthful in place of Taurasi-- who had final come off the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was the right relocation. With 15 factors against Nigeria, Youthful looks taking a task as Group U.S.A.'s 3rd marker responsible for A'ja Wilson and also Breanna Stewart. (Certainly, Young is actually the simply various other united state gamer averaging double designs at 10.3 points per game.) Young, some of 3 Sin city Aces players in the beginning five, showed off her 3-point firing earlier against Germany, going 5-of-8. Yet while she went scoreless coming from deep on Wednesday, it was her capacity to obtain downhill as well as hit coming from midrange that stood apart, along with her hallmark protection in the backcourt. It took till the center of the second fourth for the U.S. to definitely place its own feet on the gasoline against Nigeria, however Youthful's aggression and energy on each ends ought to remain to pay dividends. And also Taurasi appeared to perform properly off the seat, where she improved as a company along with four assists.Pelton: I will adore to observe beginning point guard Chelsea Gray be actually a threat to credit rating. She overlooked all 3 of her go efforts in the quarterfinals, delivering Gray to 1-of-13 until now in the course of the Olympics. Remarkably, the united state outscored Nigeria by only two aspects in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 various other starters had a plus-minus of plus-17 or better while on the court.Still, as I stated in our final roundtable, the united state women can beat one non-scorer in the starting 5 such a long time as she is carrying another thing to the table. And also Gray is along with her playmaking, having now amounted to 22 supports against merely three turnovers. So, I don't believe coach Cheryl Reeve needs to create further changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE through Getty ImagesWhat troubles carry out the Australians posture, as well as what might create them a difficult matchup?Top stories of the week from Receive special accessibility to lots of costs posts a year from leading authors. u2022 Solak: Interesting NFL QB student training class "u2022 MLB: Impressive AL MVP struggle, various other awards "u2022 25 essential gamers in CFP race" Additional ESPN+ information ".Philippou: WNBA supporters will be properly accustomed to this Opals squad, which includes the Seattle Hurricane's Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Triggers' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Baggage Melbourne and also Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus Nyc Liberty instructor Sandy Brondello at the helm. Certainly not just carry out the Opals possess the skill to contend versus Team USA. They possess drive as well as willpower following their disappointing start to the Olympics. Brondello has been actually satisfied with her group's poise and also grit over the past week, pair of top qualities a rival needs when encountering the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced strike boasts 5 players balancing at least 8.0 PPG, can easily injure adversaries inside along with Magbegor and Smith yet likewise from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the most effective in the Olympic area and a lot higher than Team U.S.A.'s paltry 30.8%. Whitcomb and Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champ while with the Sin City Aces, lead the staff along with eight and seven treys, respectively.Pelton: Theoretically, Australia is deeper and a lot more skilled than any kind of team in the business except for the united state women. Our experts can easily discuss the best international player at the Paris Games, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and also Satou Sabally (Germany) as powerful candidates. However no group possesses a pair of gamers just as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and Johnson, both of whom will possess performed my WNBA Dream team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was actually not called to the crew this season despite similar development.) As well as no crew outside the U.S. has virtually as much WNBA experience throughout its own roster.Given the only thing that talent, it was actually surprising when Australia dropped its position video game to Nigeria at that point scarcely beat winless Canada. In their past pair of activities, we have actually seen the Opals our team expected, as they trump topped France to develop to the knockout phase as well as led Serbia by as many as 28 in an unbalanced quarterfinal victory.A' Ja dishes to Stewie for three. LeBron accepts. U.S.A. System as well as Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 May anybody stop Breanna Stewart as well as A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. But if any individual is actually going to have all of them, it's the duo of Magbegor as well as Johnson. Australia's blog post players place second (Magbegor, 2.4) and also 4th (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks per game as well as possess the mobility to defend Stewart as well as Wilson on the border. Magbegor is specifically experienced versus each challengers, having encountered Stewart in practice for 3 years as Hurricane allies and also paired up with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The largest difficulty for Magbegor as well as Johnson is foul issue. Magbegor got 3 first-half fouls versus Canada, as well as Smith had 2 in the initial quarter versus France, limiting their moments. Data backup George is actually a challenging, trained gamer (she scored 18 aspects in 24 minutes versus Serbia) but no place near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton raises a valid problem. However given the experience Stewart and Wilson contend this phase-- Stewart is going with her third Olympic gold and also Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor and Johnson are actually looking in their first Games-- I would certainly count on the Staff United States very duo to produce the winning plays important in such a stressful condition to innovation to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France as well as Belgium would certainly be a more durable opponent for Group USA?Pelton: I'm going with Belgium, which gave the united state women their hardest Olympic test yet. The Americans prevailed through 13 aspects, although the margin was actually merely 7 going into the 4th quarter of a group phase game played in Lille, France, near the border along with Belgium. All this even with Belgium going only 5-of-27 in 3-point capturing, with Julie Vanloo specifically having a hard time from midtown while overlooking 10 of her 11 tries. On Wednesday, the Mystics point guard went 3-of-5 from 3, racking up 13 points along with seven helps (albeit along with nine turnovers) as Belgium navigated past Spain, the merely various other staff besides the U.S. that was unbeaten in pool play.Philippou: As the lot country with the group on its side and plenty of take pride in vulnerable, a tough defensive group in France would not be actually a pushover, either, specifically if Marine Johannes can easily blow up like she did against Germany along with 24 points off the bench as well as with Gabby Williams breaking the ice on both ends.Has Group United States played its best baseball yet?Philippou: In-game consistency, specifically on offense, may still be actually a problem. There are opportunities when the absence of participating in time all together or even Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is still obvious. After all, there is actually a reason that Sue Bird lately pointed out on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that U.S.A. Baseball is actually the absolute most annoying baseball she has ever before participated in. After a little a sluggish start, the U.S. inevitably led by 30 in the third quarter against Nigeria, yet Reeve couldn't have enjoyed exactly how her crew made it possible for the D'Tigress to make it a 14-point game before the last buzzer. By means of 4 games, the Americans' shortage of 3-point firing hasn't definitely been solved, which might be an issue if enemies fume coming from deep.Team United States can't neglect any one of the staying groups in the business, however with a defensive identification as well as aggressive prowess led through Stewart as well as Wilson, it has revealed it may place games away when it needs to have to, something that ought to transfer over into the last pair of games.Pelton: On the flip side, I believe the capturing is also explanation to think there's one more equipment for the U.S. females. Jointly, the 12 players on the roster have mixed to fire 33% on 3-point efforts in the WNBA this period. That won't earn a "Dash Siblings" label any time quickly, but it is actually additionally better than Crew United States has dealt with coming from the shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are past due to warm up coming from long selection. Keep an eye out if they finally do.