.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers girls's college baseball and the WNBA.Previously dealt with UConn and the WNBA Connecticut Sunshine for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate and Baltimore native with additional encounter at the Dallas Morning Information, Seat Moments and also Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Writer Co-author, Pro Basketball Syllabus collection.Formerly a specialist with the Indiana Pacers.Created WARP ranking and SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo global opponents will meet again on Friday, as the USA girls's baseball group takes on the Australian Opals with a spot in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold medal suit on the line.Team United States, which is riding a touch of 59 consecutive Olympic triumphes, advanced to the semifinals with an 88-74 overcome Nigeria on Wednesday. Complying with a distressed loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung together 3 straight success, consisting of Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal selection over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the USA females have been actually the gold specification for baseball across the globe, winning seven successive Olympic gold awards and also 9 total, Australia has been a famous goliath alongside them. The Opals have actually medaled in 5 of recent seven Summer Video games, taking home three silvers as well as 2 bronze, although their semifinal run in Paris notes the very first time they've developed past the quarterfinals because the 2012 London Video games.2012 additionally was actually the last time the epic Lauren Jackson wore on the Olympic stage for the eco-friendly and gold-- until now. While Staff United States has 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals have Jackson, 43, seeming in her fifth Video games as well as to begin with in 12 years. Jackson has consistently medaled in the competition, as well as though she has actually viewed restricted activity until now in France, she possesses a chance to proceed that touch this weekend.Australia-- which includes 6 energetic WNBA players-- possesses lots of drive, yet the Opals are actually 0-20 all time against the USA elderly national crew, featuring 0-8 in Olympic competition. In the course of the five Video games in which they medaled, Australia dropped to the U.S. either in the semifinals or the gold medal contest. The squads last fulfilled in 2020, when the Americans prevailed 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou as well as Kevin Pelton malfunction a few of journalism inquiries moving right into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit histories Jackie Youthful for jump-starting Team USABreanna Stewart speaks along with Brian Windhorst after Crew United States's 14-point get Nigeria to advance to the semifinals.Team United States switched up its beginning five versus Nigeria, along with Jackie Young in place of Diana Taurasi. Carried out the move fix its own issues in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Young in place of Taurasi-- who possessed last come off the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was the right technique. Along with 15 factors against Nigeria, Young appears to be taking a task as Team U.S.A.'s third scorer responsible for A'ja Wilson as well as Breanna Stewart. (Without A Doubt, Young is the simply other united state player averaging double figures at 10.3 aspects every video game.) Young, some of three Sin city Aces players in the beginning 5, flaunted her 3-point capturing earlier against Germany, going 5-of-8. Yet while she went scoreless coming from deep-seated on Wednesday, it was her potential to acquire downhill and reach coming from midrange that stood apart, along with her trademark defense in the backcourt. It took till the middle of the second quarter for the united state to truly place its own feet on the gasoline against Nigeria, but Youthful's hostility as well as electricity on both ends must remain to return. And also Taurasi seemed to be to perform properly off the seat, where she stepped up as a facilitator along with four assists.Pelton: I 'd like to see beginning point player Chelsea Gray be a hazard to rating. She missed all 3 of her go attempts in the quarterfinals, taking Gray to 1-of-13 so far during the course of the Olympics. Remarkably, the united state outscored Nigeria through only two aspects in Gray's 17:27, while all four other starters had a plus-minus of plus-17 or even far better while on the court.Still, as I pointed out in our last roundtable, the united state ladies may eliminate one non-scorer in the beginning 5 so long as she is bringing another thing to the desk. As well as Gray is along with her playmaking, having actually right now amounted to 22 aids against simply three turn overs. Thus, I don't assume train Cheryl Reeve needs to have to create more changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE through Getty ImagesWhat troubles carry out the Australians posture, as well as what could create them a tough matchup?Top stories of the week coming from Receive unique accessibility to hundreds of fee write-ups a year coming from top authors. u2022 Solak: Fascinating NFL QB sophomore class "u2022 MLB: Legendary AL MVP battle, other awards "u2022 25 crucial gamers in CFP ethnicity" Even more ESPN+ content ".Philippou: WNBA enthusiasts will be well accustomed to this Opals squad, which features the Seattle Storm's Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Stimulates' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne and also Indiana High temperature's Kristy Wallace, plus New York Right train Sandy Brondello at the helm. Certainly not only perform the Opals have the talent to contend against Team U.S.A.. They have drive and willpower observing their frustrating beginning to the Olympics. Brondello has been actually satisfied with her staff's grace as well as grit over the past week, two premiums a rival needs when experiencing the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced assault includes five gamers averaging at the very least 8.0 PPG, may harm enemies inside along with Magbegor as well as Johnson yet additionally coming from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the greatest in the Olympic industry as well as much greater than Group U.S.A.'s puny 30.8%. Whitcomb as well as Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champ while with the Sin City Aces, lead the crew along with 8 as well as seven treys, respectively.Pelton: Abstractly, Australia is actually deeper and much more skilled than any group in the field barring the united state ladies. Our experts can discuss the greatest worldwide gamer at the Paris Video Games, with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) as well as Satou Sabally (Germany) as powerful applicants. Yet no staff possesses a set of players like the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor as well as Smith, each of whom will have gotten on my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was not named to the team this season in spite of similar creation.) As well as no team outside the united state has virtually as a lot WNBA experience throughout its own roster.Given the only thing that ability, it was actually astonishing when Australia shed its opening game to Nigeria then scarcely defeat winless Canada. In their previous 2 activities, we've viewed the Opals our company expected, as they trump bested France to advance to the knockout phase as well as led Serbia by as a lot of as 28 in a lopsided quarterfinal victory.A' Ja dishes to Stewie for three. LeBron authorizes. United States System and also Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can any individual cease Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. But if anybody is actually visiting have all of them, it's the duo of Magbegor and also Johnson. Australia's blog post gamers place 2nd (Magbegor, 2.4) and also 4th (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks per video game and possess the range of motion to stand up for Stewart as well as Wilson on the border. Magbegor is actually especially experienced against both opponents, having faced Stewart virtual for three years as Storm allies as well as matched up along with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The biggest obstacle for Magbegor and Smith is repulsive trouble. Magbegor got three first-half fouls against Canada, and also Johnson possessed 2 in the very first one-fourth versus France, confining their mins. Data backup George is actually a hard, trained player (she racked up 18 factors in 24 moments against Serbia) however no place near as sports on defense.Philippou: Pelton raises a valid worry. Yet given the encounter Stewart and Wilson have at this phase-- Stewart is opting for her third Olympic gold as well as Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor and Smith are actually appearing in their first Gamings-- I will expect the Group United States tremendously duo to help make the winning participates in needed in such a stressful situation to advance to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France as well as Belgium would be a harder enemy for Crew USA?Pelton: I'm choosing Belgium, which provided the U.S. females their most difficult Olympic test yet. The Americans prevailed by thirteen points, although the frame was only seven going into the fourth quarter of a group stage activity played in Lille, France, near the edge along with Belgium. All this in spite of Belgium going just 5-of-27 in 3-point capturing, with Julie Vanloo specifically battling coming from downtown while missing out on 10 of her 11 attempts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 coming from 3, racking up thirteen points with seven helps (albeit with nine turnovers) as Belgium cruised previous Spain, the merely various other crew besides the united state that was actually unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the bunch country with the crowd on its edge and a lot of honor on the line, a hard defensive group in France would not be actually a pushover, either, specifically if Marine Johannes can go off like she did versus Germany with 24 aspects off the bench and along with Gabby Williams leading the way on both ends.Has Group USA played its ideal basketball yet?Philippou: In-game consistency, especially on outburst, can still be a concern. There are actually opportunities when the absence of participating in opportunity together or even Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is still evident. Besides, there is actually a reason Sue Bird recently said on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that United States Basketball is the best uneasy basketball she has ever before played. After a little bit of a sluggish beginning, the USA eventually led by 30 in the 3rd fourth against Nigeria, but Reeve couldn't have really loved just how her group permitted the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point activity prior to the final buzzer. Via four activities, the Americans' lack of 3-point capturing have not actually been remedied, which can be an issue if challengers get hot coming from deep.Team USA can't neglect some of the staying crews in the business, yet with a protective identification as well as aggressive prowess led by Stewart and also Wilson, it has shown it can easily put games away when it needs to, something that ought to transmit over in to the final two games.Pelton: On the flip side, I believe the firing is likewise main reason to think there's another equipment for the U.S. ladies. Collectively, the 12 gamers on the lineup have actually combined to fire thirty three% on 3-point attempts in the WNBA this period. That won't get a "Dash Sis" label whenever very soon, however it is actually additionally much better than Group U.S.A. has handled coming from the shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and also Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually past due to heat up from long selection. Keep an eye out if they eventually do.