.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers women's college baseball and also the WNBA.Previously covered UConn as well as the WNBA Connecticut Sunlight for the Hartford Courant.Stanford grad and also Baltimore indigenous along with further encounter at the Dallas Morning Updates, Seattle Moments and also Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Author Co-author, Pro Basketball Program set.Formerly a consultant along with the Indiana Pacers.Built WARP ranking as well as SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo global rivals will definitely reunite on Friday, as the USA girls's basketball group takes on the Australian Opals along with an area in the 2024 Paris Games' gold medal suit on the line.Team U.S.A., which is actually using a streak of 59 consecutive Olympic triumphes, improved to the semifinals along with an 88-74 overcome Nigeria on Wednesday. Observing a distressed reduction to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung with each other 3 upright victories, including Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal decision over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the U.S. females have been actually the gold criterion for basketball throughout the globe, succeeding seven successive Olympic gold awards and 9 general, Australia has been a famous powerhouse alongside all of them. The Opals have medaled in 5 of the past seven Summer seasons Games, taking home three silvers as well as 2 bronze, although their semifinal run in Paris denotes the very first time they have actually developed past the quarterfinals due to the fact that the 2012 Greater london Games.2012 likewise was actually the last opportunity the famous Lauren Jackson dressed on the Olympic stage for the green as well as gold-- previously. While Team USA possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, showing up in her fifth Gamings as well as to begin with in 12 years. Jackson has consistently medaled in the competitors, and also though she has actually found restricted action up until now in France, she has an opportunity to proceed that touch this weekend.Australia-- which boasts 6 active WNBA players-- has a lot of momentum, however the Opals are actually 0-20 all time against the U.S. elderly national staff, consisting of 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 the gold award contest. The squads final fulfilled in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and also Kevin Pelton break several of journalism inquiries moving in to the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit scores Jackie Young for jump-starting Staff USABreanna Stewart talks along with Brian Windhorst after Crew USA's 14-point sway Nigeria to progress to the semifinals.Team U.S.A. switched over up its own beginning 5 versus Nigeria, with Jackie Young instead of Diana Taurasi. Performed the technique repair its own issues in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Young instead of Taurasi-- who had last come off the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the ideal relocation. With 15 aspects against Nigeria, Youthful looks carving out a task as Crew USA's third marker responsible for A'ja Wilson as well as Breanna Stewart. (Certainly, Youthful is actually the only various other U.S. gamer balancing double designs at 10.3 aspects every activity.) Young, some of 3 Sin city Aces players in the starting 5, displayed her 3-point shooting previously against Germany, going 5-of-8. However while she went scoreless coming from deep-seated on Wednesday, it was her potential to obtain downhill as well as attack coming from midrange that stood out, alongside her trademark defense in the backcourt. It took until the center of the 2nd quarter for the united state to definitely put its own foot on the gasoline versus Nigeria, however Youthful's aggression and power on each ends must remain to return. And also Taurasi appeared to perform well off the bench, where she boosted as a facilitator with four assists.Pelton: I would certainly like to find beginning point guard Chelsea Gray be a risk to rating. She overlooked all three of her shot tries in the quarterfinals, taking Gray to 1-of-13 until now throughout the Olympics. Extremely, the USA outscored Nigeria through just pair of aspects in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 other beginners had a plus-minus of plus-17 or much better while on the court.Still, as I discussed in our last roundtable, the USA girls can easily get over one non-scorer in the starting five so long as she is actually delivering something else to the desk. As well as Gray is actually along with her playmaking, having today totted 22 aids versus merely three turn overs. Therefore, I do not think coach Cheryl Reeve needs to have to create further changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE using Getty ImagesWhat troubles carry out the Australians pose, and also what could possibly make all of them a difficult matchup?Top tales of the full week coming from Get exclusive access to thousands of fee short articles a year coming from leading writers. u2022 Solak: Intriguing NFL QB sophomore course "u2022 MLB: Impressive AL MVP war, other awards "u2022 25 most important gamers in CFP race" More ESPN+ material ".Philippou: WNBA fans will be actually effectively acquainted with this Opals team, which features the Seattle Tornado's Ezi Magbegor and also Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Stimulates' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne as well as Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus New york city Freedom coach Sandy Brondello at the helm. Not only carry out the Opals possess the ability to compete versus Crew USA. They possess energy as well as resolve observing their frustrating begin to the Olympics. Brondello has actually been felt free to with her group's grace and grit over recent week, 2 high qualities an enemy needs when experiencing the Americans.The Opals, whose balanced assault includes 5 gamers averaging at least 8.0 PPG, may injure foes inside along with Magbegor and also Smith yet also coming from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the most effective in the Olympic industry and much greater than Staff U.S.A.'s tiny 30.8%. Whitcomb and also Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while with the Las Vegas Aces, lead the group with 8 and also 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: On paper, Australia is actually deeper and also more skilled than any crew in the field barring the U.S. girls. Our experts can discuss the very best worldwide gamer at the Paris Video Games, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) as well as Satou Sabally (Germany) as strong prospects. Yet no group possesses a pair of gamers just as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and Johnson, each of whom will have gotten on my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was certainly not named to the team this period even with comparable development.) And also no crew outside the USA possesses almost as a lot WNBA adventure throughout its roster.Given the only thing that ability, it was actually astonishing when Australia lost its own opening game to Nigeria after that hardly beat winless Canada. In their previous 2 video games, our experts've observed the Opals we counted on, as they beat exceeded France to advance to the knockout stage as well as led Serbia by as numerous as 28 in an askew quarterfinal victory.A' Ja dishes to Stewie for 3. LeBron authorizes. U.S.A. Network and Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can anybody cease Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. But if any person is visiting have them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor and Smith. Australia's post players position second (Magbegor, 2.4) and fourth (Johnson, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks per video game as well as have the mobility to defend Stewart as well as Wilson on the border. Magbegor is actually specifically experienced against each enemies, having experienced Stewart virtual for 3 years as Tornado allies and also matched up with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The most significant hurdle for Magbegor and also Johnson is actually filthy trouble. Magbegor grabbed three first-half fouls versus Canada, and also Johnson possessed 2 in the initial quarter versus France, confining their moments. Data backup George is actually a hard, proficient gamer (she racked up 18 factors in 24 moments versus Serbia) but nowhere near as sports on defense.Philippou: Pelton raises a valid concern. However offered the encounter Stewart and Wilson have at this stage-- Stewart is choosing her third Olympic gold as well as Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor and Johnson are appearing in their 1st Games-- I would certainly count on the Staff United States incredibly duo to produce the winning plays important in such a high-pressure scenario to breakthrough to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and also Belgium would certainly be a more durable enemy for Team USA?Pelton: I am actually opting for Belgium, which gave the united state females their most difficult Olympic examination yet. The Americans prevailed through thirteen points, although the scope was simply seven getting in the fourth one-fourth of a group phase activity played in Lille, France, near the edge along with Belgium. All this despite Belgium going merely 5-of-27 in 3-point capturing, with Julie Vanloo especially having a hard time from midtown while missing out on 10 of her 11 efforts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 from 3, scoring 13 factors with seven aids (albeit with 9 turnovers) as Belgium cruised past Spain, the merely other group besides the USA that was actually unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the multitude nation along with the crowd on its side and also loads of honor on the line, a challenging defensive crew in France would not be actually a pushover, either, specifically if Marine Johannes can easily blow up like she did against Germany along with 24 points off the bench and also with Gabby Williams blazing a trail on each ends.Has Group United States played its ideal basketball yet?Philippou: In-game uniformity, specifically on offense, may still be a concern. There are actually opportunities when the shortage of playing time with each other or Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is still obvious. Besides, there is actually a reason that Sue Bird just recently said on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that USA Basketball is actually one of the most uneasy baseball she has ever played. After a little bit of a slow-moving begin, the united state inevitably led through 30 in the third quarter against Nigeria, but Reeve could not have liked exactly how her staff permitted the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point video game before the final buzzer. Via 4 games, the Americans' absence of 3-point firing hasn't really been remedied, which can be a concern if opponents fume from deep.Team USA can not ignore some of the continuing to be groups in the business, yet with a defensive identity as well as aggressive adeptness led through Stewart as well as Wilson, it has shown it can place video games away when it needs to, one thing that needs to transfer over right into the final 2 games.Pelton: On the other side, I think the shooting is also explanation to strongly believe there's an additional equipment for the united state ladies. Collectively, the 12 players on the roster have actually mixed to shoot 33% on 3-point attempts in the WNBA this period. That won't earn a "Sprinkle Sis" label at any time very soon, but it is actually also better than Team USA has actually dealt with coming from the briefer 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and also Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually outstanding to warm coming from long variety. Watch out if they ultimately carry out.