.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers females's college baseball and also the WNBA.Formerly covered UConn and also the WNBA Connecticut Sunshine for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate as well as Baltimore indigenous along with more take in at the Dallas Early Morning Information, Seat Moments and Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Elder Article Writer Co-author, Pro Basketball Prospectus collection.In the past a consultant along with the Indiana Pacers.Created WARP ranking as well as SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo worldwide rivals will meet again on Friday, as the USA girls's basketball team takes on the Australian Opals with a spot in the 2024 Paris Games' gold award suit on the line.Team U.S.A., which is actually riding a touch of 59 consecutive Olympic victories, developed to the semifinals with an 88-74 overcome Nigeria on Wednesday. Complying with a dismayed loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung all together 3 straight victories, including Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal selection over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the united state females have been the gold requirement for baseball throughout the planet, winning 7 successive Olympic gold medals as well as nine overall, Australia has actually been actually a historic goliath alongside all of them. The Opals have actually medaled in five of the past seven Summers months Gamings, take away three silvers and two bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris denotes the first time they've developed past the quarterfinals since the 2012 London Video games.2012 likewise was the last time the legendary Lauren Jackson wore 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 5th Gamings and initially in 12 years. Jackson has actually always medaled in the competitors, and though she has found restricted action up until now in France, she has an odds to continue that streak this weekend.Australia-- which boasts six active WNBA players-- has plenty of energy, but the Opals are 0-20 perpetuity versus the USA senior national team, consisting of 0-8 in Olympic competitors. Throughout the five Games in which they medaled, Australia shed to the united state either in the semifinals or the gold award competition. The squads last met in 2020, when the Americans prevailed 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou as well as Kevin Pelton break down a number of the pressing concerns heading right into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credits Jackie Young for jump-starting Team USABreanna Stewart speaks with Brian Windhorst after Crew USA's 14-point draw Nigeria to advance to the semifinals.Team USA switched over up its own beginning five versus Nigeria, with Jackie Youthful instead of Diana Taurasi. Performed the step repair its issues in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Youthful instead of Taurasi-- who possessed last go over the bench at the Olympics in 2004-- was the appropriate step. With 15 aspects versus Nigeria, Young looks carving out a task as Group U.S.A.'s 3rd scorer behind A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. (Certainly, Young is the merely other USA player balancing dual designs at 10.3 factors per video game.) Young, one of 3 Las Vegas Aces players in the beginning 5, exhibited her 3-point firing previously against Germany, going 5-of-8. But while she went scoreless coming from deeper on Wednesday, it was her capability to receive downhill as well as hit from midrange that stood apart, along with her trademark defense in the backcourt. It took till the center of the 2nd quarter for the U.S. to truly put its foot on the gasoline against Nigeria, yet Youthful's aggression and energy on each ends should continue to pay dividends. As well as Taurasi seemed to be to accomplish well off the seat, where she improved as a company along with four assists.Pelton: I will adore to find beginning point player Chelsea Gray be actually a risk to score. She missed out on all three of her shot attempts in the quarterfinals, bringing Gray to 1-of-13 until now during the course of the Olympics. Incredibly, the united state outscored Nigeria through simply pair of aspects in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 various other beginners had a plus-minus of plus-17 or far better while on the court.Still, as I pointed out in our last roundtable, the U.S. women can easily overcome one non-scorer in the starting 5 such a long time as she is actually taking another thing to the desk. As well as Gray is actually with her playmaking, having right now completed 22 assists versus simply 3 turnovers. Thus, I don't presume coach Cheryl Reeve needs to have to make more changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE using Getty ImagesWhat problems do the Australians position, and what could possibly make all of them a difficult matchup?Top accounts of the full week from Obtain special access to lots of superior short articles a year from best writers. u2022 Solak: Intriguing NFL QB student class "u2022 MLB: Impressive AL MVP war, other awards "u2022 25 most important players in CFP nationality" More ESPN+ information ".Philippou: WNBA fans will definitely be actually well familiar with this Opals team, which features the Seat Storm's Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Smith, Los Angeles Sparks' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne as well as Indiana High temperature's Kristy Wallace, plus Nyc Freedom coach Sandy Brondello at the helm. Certainly not just carry out the Opals possess the ability to complete against Team U.S.A.. They have drive and willpower following their unsatisfying beginning to the Olympics. Brondello has actually been felt free to with her team's grace and also guts over the past week, 2 high qualities a rival needs to have when dealing with the Americans.The Opals, whose balanced strike flaunts five players averaging at the very least 8.0 PPG, can easily hurt enemies inside with Magbegor and Johnson however additionally coming from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the greatest in the Olympic field and also considerably greater than Group United States's puny 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 as well as seven treys, respectively.Pelton: On paper, Australia is deeper and also much more proficient than any kind of staff in the field barring the united state ladies. Our company can discuss the very best worldwide player at the Paris Gamings, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and Satou Sabally (Germany) as strong candidates. However no group has a set of gamers comparable to the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and also Johnson, both of whom would certainly possess performed my WNBA Dream team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was certainly not named to the group this time despite similar manufacturing.) And also no crew outside the U.S. possesses nearly as a lot WNBA experience throughout its roster.Given all that skill, it was astonishing when Australia dropped its opening video game to Nigeria after that scarcely defeat winless Canada. In their past pair of games, our experts have actually found the Opals our experts counted on, as they defeat exceeded France to develop to the knockout stage and also led Serbia through as lots of as 28 in an uneven quarterfinal victory.A' Ja meals to Stewie for 3. LeBron permits. U.S.A. System as well as Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 May any individual cease Breanna Stewart as well as A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. Yet if any individual is actually mosting likely to include all of them, it's the duo of Magbegor and Smith. Australia's message players position second (Magbegor, 2.4) as well as fourth (Johnson, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks per video game and also possess the mobility to defend Stewart and also Wilson on the border. Magbegor is actually especially experienced against each enemies, having encountered Stewart in practice for 3 years as Storm allies and also paired up along with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The largest obstacle for Magbegor and Smith is filthy problem. Magbegor picked up three first-half fouls against Canada, and also Smith had two in the initial one-fourth versus France, limiting their mins. Back-up George is a hard, knowledgeable player (she racked up 18 points in 24 mins versus Serbia) yet no place near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up a legitimate worry. Yet provided the encounter Stewart as well as Wilson have at this phase-- Stewart is actually going for her third Olympic gold and also Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor and Smith are actually appearing in their very first Video games-- I will expect the Team USA super duo to help make the winning participates in important in such a stressful circumstance to advance to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France as well as Belgium would be actually a more durable rival for Staff USA?Pelton: I am actually opting for Belgium, which offered the U.S. ladies their most difficult Olympic test yet. The Americans prevailed through 13 factors, although the frame was actually just seven getting into the fourth one-fourth of a group stage video game played in Lille, France, near the borderline with Belgium. All this despite Belgium going simply 5-of-27 in 3-point firing, along with Julie Vanloo especially straining coming from midtown while overlooking 10 of her 11 attempts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point guard went 3-of-5 from 3, scoring 13 points with 7 supports (albeit along with nine turn overs) as Belgium cruised previous Spain, the just various other staff besides the USA that was actually unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the lot country with the group on its edge and also lots of pleasure on the line, a difficult protective team in France would not be a piece of cake, either, particularly if Marine Johannes may go off like she carried out versus Germany with 24 points off the seat and also with Gabby Williams blazing a trail on both ends.Has Group U.S.A. played its ideal baseball yet?Philippou: In-game congruity, specifically on outburst, can still be a concern. There are times when the shortage of participating in time with each other or Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is still apparent. After all, there is actually a reason that Sue Bird just recently mentioned on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that U.S.A. Basketball is actually the most awkward baseball she has actually ever participated in. After a little bit of a slow-moving start, the USA eventually led by 30 in the third fourth against Nigeria, yet Reeve couldn't have really loved how her staff made it possible for the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point activity just before the ultimate buzzer. By means of four video games, the Americans' shortage of 3-point firing have not actually been actually treated, which could be a concern if challengers fume coming from deep.Team USA can't disregard any of the continuing to be crews in the business, however along with a protective identification and offensive adeptness led through Stewart and also Wilson, it has actually revealed it can easily put activities away when it needs to have to, something that should transmit over in to the last two games.Pelton: On the other hand, I assume the capturing is actually likewise main reason to feel there's yet another gear for the united state females. Together, the 12 players on the roster have mixed to shoot 33% on 3-point efforts in the WNBA this period. That won't get a "Sprinkle Siblings" nickname at any time very soon, however it's also far better than Group USA 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 past due to heat up coming from lengthy array. Watch out if they eventually do.