.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers women's college baseball and also the WNBA.Previously dealt with UConn as well as the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant.Stanford grad and Baltimore native along with more take in at the Dallas Early Morning News, Seattle Moments and Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Elderly Person Writer Co-author, Pro Basketball Program series.Previously a professional along with the Indiana Pacers.Created WARP score and SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo global rivals will certainly reunite on Friday, as the United States girls's baseball group confronts the Australian Opals with a spot in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold medal match 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. Following a distressed reduction to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung with each other 3 upright triumphes, featuring Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal choice over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the united state ladies have actually been actually the gold specification for basketball throughout the planet, gaining 7 successive Olympic gold awards and nine total, Australia has been actually a historical powerhouse together with all of them. The Opals have medaled in 5 of recent seven Summer Gamings, taking home three silvers and 2 bronze, although their semifinal run in Paris marks the very first time they have actually improved past the quarterfinals because the 2012 London Video games.2012 additionally was the last opportunity the legendary Lauren Jackson dressed on the Olympic stage for the green and gold-- until now. While Crew USA has 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals have Jackson, 43, seeming in her fifth Games as well as first in 12 years. Jackson has actually consistently medaled in the competition, and also though she has seen minimal action so far in France, she possesses an opportunity to carry on that touch this weekend.Australia-- which includes six active WNBA players-- has loads of energy, yet the Opals are 0-20 perpetuity versus the united state elderly nationwide crew, featuring 0-8 in Olympic competition. Throughout the five Video games through which they medaled, Australia shed to the U.S. either in the semifinals or even the gold award contest. The teams final met in 2020, when the Americans prevailed 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and Kevin Pelton break some of the pressing inquiries moving in to the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit ratings Jackie Youthful for jump-starting Team USABreanna Stewart speaks along with Brian Windhorst after Team United States's 14-point sway Nigeria to evolve to the semifinals.Team USA shifted up its own beginning 5 against Nigeria, with Jackie Youthful in place of Diana Taurasi. Did the action fix its problems in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Young instead of Taurasi-- who had last come off the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the appropriate technique. Along with 15 points versus Nigeria, Young looks carving out a role as Group United States's 3rd scorer responsible for A'ja Wilson and also Breanna Stewart. (Indeed, Youthful is actually the only various other united state gamer averaging dual designs at 10.3 aspects per game.) Youthful, one of 3 Las Vegas Aces players in the starting 5, exhibited her 3-point firing previously against Germany, going 5-of-8. However while she went scoreless from deeper on Wednesday, it was her capability to obtain downhill and strike from midrange that stood out, together with her hallmark protection in the backcourt. It took until the center of the 2nd fourth for the united state to really put its foot on the gasoline against Nigeria, however Youthful's hostility and energy on both ends need to remain to return. And also Taurasi appeared to perform well off the seat, where she boosted as a company along with four assists.Pelton: I would certainly adore to view beginning point guard Chelsea Gray be a risk to rating. She missed all 3 of her chance attempts in the quarterfinals, bringing Gray to 1-of-13 up until now throughout the Olympics. Extremely, the USA outscored Nigeria by simply pair of aspects in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 various other starters possessed a plus-minus of plus-17 or better while on the court.Still, as I mentioned in our last roundtable, the united state girls can get over one non-scorer in the beginning 5 such a long time as she is actually delivering another thing to the table. As well as Gray is actually along with her playmaking, having actually now amounted to 22 helps versus merely three turn overs. Thus, I don't assume trainer Cheryl Reeve requires to create more changes.Photo through Garrett Ellwood/NBAE using Getty ImagesWhat complications carry out the Australians posture, as well as what could possibly create them a difficult matchup?Top tales of the week coming from Get exclusive access to thousands of superior write-ups a year coming from best writers. u2022 Solak: Fascinating NFL QB sophomore course "u2022 MLB: Impressive AL MVP fight, various other honors "u2022 25 crucial players in CFP nationality" Additional ESPN+ material ".Philippou: WNBA supporters are going to be well knowledgeable about this Opals squad, which includes the Seat Tornado's Ezi Magbegor and also Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Smith, Los Angeles Triggers' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Baggage Melbourne as well as Indiana High temperature's Kristy Wallace, plus Nyc Liberty coach Sandy Brondello at the helm. Certainly not simply do the Opals possess the talent to compete versus Staff United States. They possess energy and willpower following their disappointing start to the Olympics. Brondello has actually been actually felt free to with her group's grace and also grit over recent full week, two premiums an enemy needs to have when experiencing the Americans.The Opals, whose balanced strike boasts five gamers averaging at the very least 8.0 PPG, can easily injure opponents inside with Magbegor as well as Johnson yet likewise from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the most effective in the Olympic industry as well as a lot more than Group United States's modest 30.8%. Whitcomb as well as Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champ while along with the Las Vegas Aces, lead the crew along with 8 and 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: Abstractly, Australia is much deeper and also much more accomplished than any sort of crew in the field except for the U.S. women. Our experts can debate the best worldwide player at the Paris Gamings, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and Satou Sabally (Germany) as sturdy candidates. But no group possesses a pair of gamers as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and also Johnson, both of whom would have gotten on my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was not called to the crew this period in spite of comparable manufacturing.) As well as no team outside the united state has almost as a lot WNBA adventure throughout its roster.Given all that ability, it was shocking when Australia dropped its opening game to Nigeria after that rarely defeat winless Canada. In their past pair of activities, our experts've observed the Opals our experts anticipated, as they beat surpassed France to advance to the knockout stage as well as led Serbia through as numerous as 28 in an unbalanced quarterfinal victory.A' Ja foods to Stewie for three. LeBron accepts. USA Network as well as Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can any person stop Breanna Stewart and also A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. But if anyone is actually heading to include them, it's the duo of Magbegor as well as Johnson. Australia's message players rank 2nd (Magbegor, 2.4) and fourth (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every activity as well as have the mobility to defend Stewart and Wilson on the border. Magbegor is actually especially experienced versus both opponents, having actually faced Stewart virtual for three years as Storm teammates and paired up along with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The biggest obstacle for Magbegor and also Johnson is repulsive issue. Magbegor got 3 first-half fouls against Canada, as well as Johnson possessed two in the first fourth versus France, limiting their mins. Data backup George is actually a hard, knowledgeable player (she scored 18 factors in 24 minutes versus Serbia) however no place near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton raises an authentic concern. However provided the experience Stewart and Wilson have at this stage-- Stewart is choosing her third Olympic gold as well as Wilson her second, while Magbegor and also Johnson are actually looking in their very first Gamings-- I will expect the Team United States super duo to make the winning participates in necessary in such a high-pressure situation to development to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and Belgium will be a tougher opponent for Group USA?Pelton: I'm choosing Belgium, which offered the U.S. girls their hardest Olympic test however. The Americans prevailed through thirteen points, although the margin was only 7 entering into the fourth quarter of a group phase activity played in Lille, France, near the border with Belgium. All this even with Belgium going only 5-of-27 in 3-point firing, along with Julie Vanloo specifically struggling coming from midtown while missing out on 10 of her 11 attempts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point guard went 3-of-5 from 3, scoring 13 aspects with 7 supports (albeit along with 9 turn overs) as Belgium travelled previous Spain, the merely other group besides the USA that was actually unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the lot country along with the group on its edge as well as a lot of pleasure vulnerable, a complicated protective crew in France would not be actually a pushover, either, particularly if Marine Johannes may go off like she did versus Germany with 24 aspects off the bench and also with Gabby Williams leading the way on each ends.Has Crew United States played its best baseball yet?Philippou: In-game congruity, particularly on outburst, can still be actually a concern. There are opportunities when the lack of playing opportunity with each other or even Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is actually still noticeable. After all, there is actually a reason why Sue Bird just recently said on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that U.S.A. Baseball is actually the absolute most awkward baseball she has actually ever participated in. After a bit of a slow-moving begin, the united state at some point led through 30 in the third one-fourth against Nigeria, yet Reeve could not have liked how her staff enabled the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point video game before the ultimate buzzer. With four activities, the Americans' absence of 3-point capturing hasn't actually been actually corrected, which may be an issue if opponents get hot from deep.Team U.S.A. can not forget any of the staying staffs in the field, but with a defensive identity as well as aggressive expertise led by Stewart and also Wilson, it has actually revealed it can put activities away when it needs to have to, one thing that needs to move over into the ultimate 2 games.Pelton: On the flip side, I presume the shooting is actually additionally main reason to think there is actually one more gear for the USA women. Collectively, the 12 players on the lineup have actually mixed to fire thirty three% on 3-point tries in the WNBA this period. That won't earn a "Sprinkle Siblings" nickname any time soon, yet it is actually also better than Staff U.S.A. has actually dealt with coming from the much shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) as well as Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually outstanding to heat up from lengthy variation. Keep an eye out if they eventually perform.