.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers females's college baseball as well as the WNBA.Formerly dealt with UConn as well as the WNBA Connecticut Sunshine for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate and Baltimore native along with further encounter at the Dallas Morning Information, Seat Moments and Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Elderly Person Article Writer Co-author, Pro Baseball Syllabus series.Previously an expert with the Indiana Pacers.Established WARP rating and SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo global opponents are going to reunite on Friday, as the United States girls's basketball crew confronts the Australian Opals with a location in the 2024 Paris Gamings' gold award suit on the line.Team United States, which is using a touch of 59 consecutive Olympic wins, 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 strung with each other 3 upright success, featuring Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal decision over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the united state females have actually been actually the gold standard for basketball throughout the world, gaining 7 consecutive Olympic gold awards and 9 total, Australia has been actually a historical goliath along with all of them. The Opals have actually medaled in five of the past seven Summer Games, taking home three silvers and also two bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris notes the very first time they have actually developed past the quarterfinals considering that the 2012 London Gamings.2012 likewise was actually the final time the epic Lauren Jackson suited up on the Olympic stage for the environment-friendly as well as gold-- until now. While Team U.S.A. possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals have Jackson, 43, seeming in her fifth Gamings and first in 12 years. Jackson has actually regularly medaled in the competitors, and though she has actually observed restricted activity until now in France, she possesses an odds to carry on that streak this weekend.Australia-- which boasts 6 active WNBA gamers-- has lots of momentum, yet the Opals are 0-20 perpetuity against the united state elderly national crew, including 0-8 in Olympic competition. In the course of the five Gamings in which they medaled, Australia shed to the U.S. either in the semifinals or the gold medal competition. The squads final satisfied in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou as well as Kevin Pelton break a few of journalism questions moving in to the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credits Jackie Youthful for jump-starting Crew USABreanna Stewart speaks along with Brian Windhorst after Group United States's 14-point win over Nigeria to progress to the semifinals.Team U.S.A. changed up its starting five against Nigeria, with Jackie Young instead of Diana Taurasi. Performed the relocation repair its own issues in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Young in place of Taurasi-- that had final go over the bench at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the correct technique. With 15 aspects against Nigeria, Youthful looks taking a function as Team United States's third marker behind A'ja Wilson and also Breanna Stewart. (Undoubtedly, Young is actually the only other U.S. player balancing dual figures at 10.3 aspects per video game.) Young, among three Sin city Aces players in the starting five, showed off her 3-point firing earlier versus Germany, going 5-of-8. But while she went scoreless coming from deeper on Wednesday, it was her capacity to obtain downhill and also reach from midrange that stood apart, along with her trademark protection in the backcourt. It took up until the middle of the 2nd quarter for the U.S. to definitely place its feet on the gasoline against Nigeria, however Youthful's hostility and also electricity on both ends should continue to return. And also Taurasi appeared to accomplish well off the seat, where she boosted as a facilitator along with four assists.Pelton: I 'd adore to see beginning point player Chelsea Gray be a threat to score. She overlooked all three of her shot efforts in the quarterfinals, taking Gray to 1-of-13 until now during the Olympics. Extremely, the united state outscored Nigeria through simply pair of aspects in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 various other starters had a plus-minus of plus-17 or even much better while on the court.Still, as I discussed in our last roundtable, the united state females can beat one non-scorer in the beginning five such a long time as she is actually delivering another thing to the desk. As well as Gray is with her playmaking, having now completed 22 supports against just three turn overs. Therefore, I do not presume coach Cheryl Reeve needs to make additional changes.Photo through Garrett Ellwood/NBAE by means of Getty ImagesWhat troubles perform the Australians present, and what can create them a challenging matchup?Top stories of the full week from Receive special access to 1000s of costs articles a year from best authors. u2022 Solak: Interesting NFL QB student training class "u2022 MLB: Legendary AL MVP war, other awards "u2022 25 crucial players in CFP nationality" More ESPN+ content ".Philippou: WNBA followers are going to be well knowledgeable about this Opals team, which features the Seattle Hurricane's Ezi Magbegor as well as Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Triggers' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Baggage Melbourne as well as Indiana High temperature's Kristy Wallace, plus New york city Right instructor Sandy Brondello responsible. Certainly not only do the Opals possess the talent to compete versus Group USA. They have energy as well as resolve observing their disappointing start to the Olympics. Brondello has been actually felt free to along with her crew's grace as well as grit over recent full week, 2 premiums an enemy needs when dealing with the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced assault flaunts five gamers balancing at the very least 8.0 PPG, may harm foes inside with Magbegor and also Johnson but also from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the best in the Olympic field and also a lot higher than Group U.S.A.'s tiny 30.8%. Whitcomb as well as Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champ while with the Las Vegas Aces, lead the group along with eight and also 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: On paper, Australia is actually deeper as well as more accomplished than any type of group in the business save for the U.S. females. Our experts may discuss the best international player at the Paris Games, with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) as well as Satou Sabally (Germany) as sturdy applicants. Yet no crew has a pair of players as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and also Smith, each of whom will possess performed my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was actually not called to the team this season even with similar development.) And no crew outside the united state possesses almost as much WNBA knowledge throughout its roster.Given the only thing that skill, it was actually stunning when Australia shed its opening activity to Nigeria after that rarely beat winless Canada. In their past pair of games, our team've observed the Opals our company expected, as they defeat exceeded France to develop to the knockout phase as well as led Serbia by as lots of as 28 in an uneven quarterfinal victory.A' Ja recipes to Stewie for three. LeBron approves. U.S.A. System and also Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 May any individual stop Breanna Stewart and also A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. Yet if anyone is heading to include them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor as well as Smith. Australia's blog post gamers place 2nd (Magbegor, 2.4) and also fourth (Johnson, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every game and also have the mobility to defend Stewart and also Wilson on the border. Magbegor is particularly experienced against both rivals, having encountered Stewart in practice for three years as Storm colleagues as well as paired up with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The most significant challenge for Magbegor as well as Johnson is nasty problem. Magbegor picked up three first-half fouls against Canada, and also Johnson possessed 2 in the initial fourth versus France, restricting their mins. Backup George is actually a difficult, skilled gamer (she racked up 18 points in 24 minutes against Serbia) yet nowhere near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up a legitimate problem. But provided the experience Stewart and also Wilson have at this stage-- Stewart is going for her 3rd Olympic gold and also Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor and also Johnson are actually looking in their very first Gamings-- I would certainly anticipate the Team U.S.A. extremely duo to make the winning plays needed in such a high-pressure situation to advance to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and Belgium will be actually a more durable opponent for Staff USA?Pelton: I am actually opting for Belgium, which gave the U.S. girls their toughest Olympic examination but. The Americans prevailed through thirteen factors, although the margin was actually only seven getting in the fourth quarter of a group phase game played in Lille, France, near the borderline along with Belgium. All this despite Belgium going only 5-of-27 in 3-point firing, along with Julie Vanloo especially straining from midtown while missing out on 10 of her 11 tries. On Wednesday, the Mystics point guard went 3-of-5 from 3, racking up thirteen factors with seven aids (albeit with 9 turnovers) as Belgium travelled previous Spain, the only various other staff besides the U.S. that was actually unbeaten in pool play.Philippou: As the bunch country with the group on its edge and also loads of pleasure vulnerable, a difficult protective staff in France wouldn't be actually a pushover, either, particularly if Marine Johannes can go off like she carried out versus Germany with 24 points off the seat and with Gabby Williams leading the way on each ends.Has Staff U.S.A. played its own ideal baseball yet?Philippou: In-game uniformity, especially on offense, may still be actually a problem. There are actually times when the lack of participating in time all together or even Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is still obvious. Besides, there's a reason why Sue Bird just recently pointed out on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that United States Basketball is the most uneasy baseball she has ever before played. After a little bit of a slow start, the united state inevitably led through 30 in the third fourth against Nigeria, however Reeve couldn't have adored exactly how her staff permitted the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point activity just before the final buzzer. By means of four games, the Americans' shortage of 3-point firing hasn't actually been actually fixed, which could be a problem if opponents fume coming from deep.Team United States can't neglect any of the remaining groups in the business, however with a defensive identification as well as aggressive expertise led by Stewart and Wilson, it has revealed it can put activities away when it needs to, one thing that ought to move over into the ultimate 2 games.Pelton: On the flip side, I think the firing is also main reason to strongly believe there's another equipment for the united state women. Collectively, the 12 players on the lineup have actually incorporated to fire 33% on 3-point tries in the WNBA this season. That will not gain a "Dash Siblings" nickname at any time quickly, but it is actually likewise much better than Team USA has managed from the much shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and also Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are past due to warm coming from long selection. Keep an eye out if they ultimately do.