.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers girls's college baseball and also the WNBA.Earlier dealt with UConn and also the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant.Stanford grad as well as Baltimore native with further take in at the Dallas Early Morning Updates, Seat Moments and Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Citizen Article Writer Co-author, Pro Baseball Program series.In the past a specialist with the Indiana Pacers.Established WARP score as well as SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo international opponents will reunite on Friday, as the USA women's basketball team faces the Australian Opals along with a location in the 2024 Paris Games' gold award suit on the line.Team U.S.A., which is using a touch of 59 consecutive Olympic success, improved to the semifinals along with an 88-74 overcome Nigeria on Wednesday. Observing an upset reduction to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung together 3 straight victories, consisting of Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal choice over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the USA ladies have been actually the gold standard for baseball throughout the globe, gaining 7 successive Olympic gold medals and nine general, Australia has been a historic giant along with all of them. The Opals have medaled in 5 of recent 7 Summertimes Video games, take away three silvers and two bronze, although their semifinal run in Paris marks the first time they've advanced past the quarterfinals since the 2012 London Gamings.2012 additionally was the final opportunity the fabulous Lauren Jackson wore on the Olympic phase for the eco-friendly as well as gold-- until now. While Staff United States possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals have Jackson, 43, showing up in her 5th Gamings as well as first in 12 years. Jackson has actually constantly medaled in the competition, as well as though she has actually found restricted action thus far in France, she possesses a possibility to continue that touch this weekend.Australia-- which includes 6 energetic WNBA players-- possesses plenty of energy, yet the Opals are actually 0-20 perpetuity against the USA senior national team, consisting of 0-8 in Olympic competitors. In the course of the 5 Gamings through which they medaled, Australia lost to the USA either in the semifinals or the gold award competition. The squads last satisfied in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and also Kevin Pelton malfunction a number of the pressing concerns moving right into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart debts Jackie Youthful for jump-starting Team USABreanna Stewart speaks along with Brian Windhorst after Group U.S.A.'s 14-point get Nigeria to progress to the semifinals.Team USA changed up its own starting 5 versus Nigeria, with Jackie Youthful instead of Diana Taurasi. Performed the step fix its concerns in the backcourt?Philippou: Starting Young in place of Taurasi-- that possessed last go over the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was the right technique. With 15 aspects against Nigeria, Youthful seems taking a task as Crew USA's third marker responsible for A'ja Wilson and also Breanna Stewart. (Without A Doubt, Youthful is the only other U.S. player balancing dual figures at 10.3 points every video game.) Young, some of three Las Vegas Aces players in the beginning 5, displayed her 3-point shooting earlier versus Germany, going 5-of-8. Yet while she went scoreless coming from deeper on Wednesday, it was her capability to get downhill and also strike from midrange that stood out, along with her hallmark protection in the backcourt. It took till the middle of the second quarter for the united state to actually place its feet on the fuel versus Nigeria, yet Youthful's aggression and electricity on each ends need to continue to pay dividends. And Taurasi seemed to do well off the bench, where she boosted as a company with 4 assists.Pelton: I would certainly enjoy to see starting point guard Chelsea Gray be a hazard to credit rating. She skipped all 3 of her chance attempts in the quarterfinals, bringing Gray to 1-of-13 thus far during the Olympics. Amazingly, the U.S. outscored Nigeria by simply two points in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 various other beginners had a plus-minus of plus-17 or much better while on the court.Still, as I stated in our final roundtable, the united state females may eliminate one non-scorer in the beginning 5 as long as she is delivering something else to the desk. And Gray is actually along with her playmaking, having actually right now completed 22 aids against only 3 turn overs. So, I do not presume instructor Cheryl Reeve needs to have to make further changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE by means of Getty ImagesWhat complications carry out the Australians present, and also what could possibly make them a challenging matchup?Top tales of the week from Obtain unique access to lots of superior posts a year coming from best authors. u2022 Solak: Intriguing NFL QB sophomore lesson "u2022 MLB: Legendary AL MVP war, other honors "u2022 25 essential players in CFP nationality" Additional ESPN+ content ".Philippou: WNBA enthusiasts will certainly be actually properly accustomed to this Opals team, which includes the Seattle Storm's Ezi Magbegor as well as Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Smith, Los Angeles Stimulates' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Baggage Melbourne and Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus New York Right trainer Sandy Brondello responsible. Not merely carry out the Opals have the talent to complete versus Crew USA. They have energy as well as willpower following their unsatisfactory start to the Olympics. Brondello has been satisfied along with her group's poise as well as guts over the past full week, two premiums a challenger needs when facing the Americans.The Opals, whose balanced assault flaunts five gamers balancing at the very least 8.0 PPG, can harm adversaries inside along with Magbegor and Smith however likewise from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the most effective in the Olympic industry and also a lot greater than Staff USA's tiny 30.8%. Whitcomb and Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champ while along with the Las Vegas Aces, lead the staff along with eight and also 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: Abstractly, Australia is actually much deeper as well as a lot more accomplished than any sort of crew in the business barring the united state females. Our company can dispute the greatest global gamer at the Paris Games, with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) as well as Satou Sabally (Germany) as strong prospects. But no group has a pair of players comparable to the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor as well as Johnson, both of whom would have gotten on my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was actually not called to the staff this period in spite of identical development.) As well as no team outside the U.S. has virtually as much WNBA knowledge throughout its own roster.Given the only thing that talent, it was stunning when Australia lost its position activity to Nigeria after that scarcely beat winless Canada. In their previous 2 games, our company've viewed the Opals our company expected, as they trump surpassed France to develop to the knockout stage and also led Serbia by as lots of as 28 in an uneven quarterfinal victory.A' Ja dishes to Stewie for three. LeBron accepts. USA System as well as Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 May anyone cease Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. Yet if any person is actually mosting likely to include all of them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor and also Johnson. Australia's post gamers rate 2nd (Magbegor, 2.4) as well as 4th (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks per video game and also possess the flexibility to speak up for Stewart and Wilson on the border. Magbegor is especially experienced versus both rivals, having actually faced Stewart virtual for three years as Hurricane teammates as well as paired up with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The biggest barrier for Magbegor as well as Johnson is actually foul trouble. Magbegor picked up three first-half fouls versus Canada, and Johnson possessed two in the 1st one-fourth versus France, confining their mins. Back-up George is a challenging, skillful gamer (she racked up 18 factors in 24 mins versus Serbia) yet nowhere near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up a legitimate concern. Yet offered the experience Stewart and also Wilson contend this phase-- Stewart is actually opting for her third Olympic gold and also Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor and also Smith are actually showing up in their initial Games-- I will expect the Crew U.S.A. super duo to make the winning plays required in such a stressful situation to advancement to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and Belgium would certainly be actually a harder challenger for Group USA?Pelton: I am actually going with Belgium, which provided the united state girls their most difficult Olympic test but. The Americans dominated through 13 aspects, although the margin was actually only 7 entering the fourth quarter of a group stage video game played in Lille, France, near the borderline with Belgium. All this in spite of Belgium going merely 5-of-27 in 3-point capturing, with Julie Vanloo specifically having a hard time from midtown while missing 10 of her 11 efforts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 from 3, racking up 13 factors with seven aids (albeit with nine turnovers) as Belgium cruised past Spain, the only other crew besides the USA that was actually unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the bunch nation along with the crowd on its own edge and loads of honor on the line, a complicated defensive crew in France would not be a piece of cake, either, particularly if Marine Johannes may go off like she carried out versus Germany along with 24 factors off the seat and also with Gabby Williams breaking the ice on each ends.Has Crew United States played its own best baseball yet?Philippou: In-game congruity, especially on outburst, can easily still be a concern. There are opportunities when the lack of participating in time together or even Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is actually still evident. Besides, there is actually a reason why Sue Bird recently pointed out on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that United States Baseball is the absolute most unpleasant baseball she has actually ever participated in. After a little bit of a sluggish begin, the U.S. inevitably led by 30 in the 3rd fourth versus Nigeria, yet Reeve could not have liked just how her team enabled the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point activity before the ultimate buzzer. Through four games, the Americans' absence of 3-point capturing have not definitely been corrected, which may be a concern if challengers fume from deep.Team United States can't ignore any one of the continuing to be teams in the business, however along with a defensive identity and offensive adeptness led through Stewart and Wilson, it has revealed it can place video games away when it needs to have to, one thing that must transfer over in to the ultimate pair of games.Pelton: On the other side, I believe the capturing is likewise cause to strongly believe there is actually an additional equipment for the USA females. Together, the 12 players on the roster have actually integrated to shoot 33% on 3-point tries in the WNBA this season. That won't earn a "Splash Sisters" label whenever quickly, but it is actually also much better than Team United States has dealt with from the briefer 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) as well as Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually outstanding to warm from long variety. Look out if they ultimately carry out.