.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers girls's college basketball and also the WNBA.Formerly dealt with UConn and the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate and Baltimore native with further take in at the Dallas Morning Information, Seat Moments and Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Citizen Author Co-author, Pro Basketball Prospectus set.Formerly a consultant with the Indiana Pacers.Created WARP rating and SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo international opponents will certainly meet again on Friday, as the USA women's baseball group goes up against the Australian Opals with an area in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold award suit on the line.Team U.S.A., which is riding a streak of 59 successive Olympic triumphes, developed to the semifinals with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Observing a dismayed loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung together three upright victories, consisting of Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal choice over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the USA women have been actually the gold requirement for basketball around the world, succeeding seven consecutive Olympic gold awards as well as nine general, Australia has been a famous powerhouse together with them. The Opals have medaled in five of the past seven Summertimes Video games, taking home 3 silvers as well as pair of bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris notes the very first time they have actually advanced past the quarterfinals since the 2012 Greater london Gamings.2012 likewise was actually the last opportunity the epic Lauren Jackson wore on the Olympic stage for the green and gold-- until now. While Crew United States possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, seeming in her fifth Gamings and also to begin with in 12 years. Jackson has regularly medaled in the competitors, and though she has seen limited action until now in France, she has a chance to carry on that touch this weekend.Australia-- which flaunts six active WNBA players-- possesses lots of momentum, but the Opals are actually 0-20 all time versus the USA senior national crew, including 0-8 in Olympic competitors. During the 5 Games in which they medaled, Australia lost to the united state either in the semifinals or the gold medal contest. The squads last satisfied in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and Kevin Pelton malfunction a number of journalism questions moving into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart debts Jackie Young for jump-starting Crew USABreanna Stewart talks with Brian Windhorst after Group U.S.A.'s 14-point win over Nigeria to evolve to the semifinals.Team United States changed up its beginning 5 versus Nigeria, along with Jackie Young in place of Diana Taurasi. Did the relocation repair its own concerns in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Youthful instead of Taurasi-- who possessed final go over the bench at the Olympics in 2004-- was the correct action. With 15 factors versus Nigeria, Youthful seems carving out a job as Team USA's third marker responsible for A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. (Without A Doubt, Young is actually the only other USA gamer averaging dual figures at 10.3 aspects per video game.) Youthful, among three Sin city Aces players in the starting 5, exhibited her 3-point capturing earlier versus Germany, going 5-of-8. However while she went scoreless from deeper on Wednesday, it was her capability to obtain downhill and hit from midrange that stuck out, along with her trademark defense in the backcourt. It took up until the middle of the 2nd quarter for the USA to really put its own feet on the gasoline versus Nigeria, however Youthful's hostility and energy on both ends must continue to pay dividends. As well as Taurasi appeared to do effectively off the seat, where she stepped up as a company with 4 assists.Pelton: I would certainly like to find beginning point guard Chelsea Gray be actually a risk to credit rating. She skipped all 3 of her chance tries in the quarterfinals, taking Gray to 1-of-13 until now throughout the Olympics. Remarkably, the united state outscored Nigeria by merely pair of aspects in Gray's 17:27, while all four 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 USA ladies can easily get rid of one non-scorer in the beginning 5 so long as she is actually carrying something else to the desk. As well as Gray is actually with her playmaking, having actually right now totted 22 helps against merely three turnovers. Therefore, I do not believe train Cheryl Reeve needs to have to make more changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE through Getty ImagesWhat complications do the Australians present, as well as what could create them a hard matchup?Top accounts of the full week from Receive special accessibility to thousands of costs write-ups a year coming from top writers. u2022 Solak: Appealing NFL QB student class "u2022 MLB: Legendary AL MVP fight, various other awards "u2022 25 crucial gamers in CFP ethnicity" Additional ESPN+ web content ".Philippou: WNBA supporters are going to be actually properly accustomed to this Opals squad, which features 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 also Indiana High temperature's Kristy Wallace, plus The big apple Liberty coach Sandy Brondello responsible. Not just do the Opals have the skill to complete versus Crew USA. They have momentum and also resolve observing their disappointing start to the Olympics. Brondello has actually been actually satisfied with her team's poise as well as grit over recent full week, 2 high qualities a challenger requires when facing the Americans.The Opals, whose balanced attack flaunts five gamers averaging at least 8.0 PPG, can injure enemies inside with Magbegor and also Smith yet likewise coming from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the very best in the Olympic area and also considerably greater than Staff USA's modest 30.8%. Whitcomb and also Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while with the Sin City Aces, lead the group with eight and 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: Theoretically, Australia is deeper as well as even more gifted than any group in the business save for the USA ladies. Our company can easily discuss the most effective global gamer at the Paris Gamings, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and Satou Sabally (Germany) as strong prospects. Yet no group possesses a set of gamers as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and Smith, each of whom would have performed my WNBA Dream team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was certainly not named to the crew this period in spite of identical development.) And no crew outside the united state possesses virtually as a lot WNBA experience throughout its roster.Given everything skill, it was shocking when Australia shed its position activity to Nigeria at that point hardly trump winless Canada. In their past pair of activities, we've viewed the Opals we expected, as they beat bested France to advance to the knockout phase as well as led Serbia by as numerous as 28 in an uneven quarterfinal victory.A' Ja meals to Stewie for 3. LeBron accepts. U.S.A. Network as well as Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can easily any individual quit Breanna Stewart and also A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. However if anybody is actually visiting have all of them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor and Smith. Australia's article players rate second (Magbegor, 2.4) and fourth (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every activity and also have the wheelchair to speak up for Stewart and also Wilson on the boundary. Magbegor is actually specifically experienced versus each challengers, having faced Stewart in practice for three years as Storm colleagues as well as paired up with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The biggest barrier for Magbegor and also Johnson is actually foul issue. Magbegor got 3 first-half fouls against Canada, and also Smith had 2 in the very first one-fourth versus France, confining their mins. Backup George is a difficult, skilled gamer (she racked up 18 factors in 24 mins against Serbia) yet no place near as sports on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up a legitimate issue. However provided the experience Stewart and Wilson have at this phase-- Stewart is going for her third Olympic gold and also Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor as well as Johnson are actually seeming in their very first Games-- I 'd count on the Team U.S.A. very duo to help make the winning participates in important in such a high-pressure condition to breakthrough to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and also Belgium would certainly be actually a tougher opponent for Crew USA?Pelton: I am actually picking Belgium, which gave the united state ladies their toughest Olympic examination however. The Americans prevailed through thirteen points, although the scope was merely seven going into the fourth one-fourth of a group phase activity played in Lille, France, near the borderline with Belgium. All this even with Belgium going just 5-of-27 in 3-point firing, with Julie Vanloo specifically having a hard time coming from downtown while missing 10 of her 11 tries. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 from 3, scoring thirteen factors with seven helps (albeit along with 9 turn overs) as Belgium travelled past Spain, the only various other group besides the USA that was unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the multitude nation with the crowd on its side and also lots of take pride in vulnerable, a tough protective group in France definitely would not be a pushover, either, specifically if Marine Johannes may go off like she performed against Germany along with 24 points off the seat as well as with Gabby Williams breaking the ice on both ends.Has Group USA played its best basketball yet?Philippou: In-game consistency, especially on outburst, can still be actually an issue. There are actually times when the absence of playing time together or Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is actually still evident. Nevertheless, there is actually a reason why Sue Bird recently claimed on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that USA Basketball is actually one of the most uneasy baseball she has ever participated in. After a bit of a slow start, the united state inevitably led by 30 in the 3rd one-fourth versus Nigeria, but Reeve couldn't have actually liked how her group enabled the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point activity before the last buzzer. Via four activities, the Americans' absence of 3-point capturing have not actually been actually treated, which may be an issue if enemies fume coming from deep.Team United States can't ignore some of the remaining teams in the business, however with a protective identification as well as offensive adeptness led by Stewart as well as Wilson, it has actually revealed it may put activities away when it requires to, something that ought to transmit over right into the final pair of games.Pelton: On the other side, I assume the firing is additionally explanation to think there's an additional equipment for the USA females. Jointly, the 12 gamers on the lineup have actually incorporated to fire 33% on 3-point efforts in the WNBA this period. That will not earn a "Dash Siblings" nickname at any time very soon, however it is actually additionally better than Staff U.S.A. has handled coming from the shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually overdue to heat coming from lengthy variation. Look out if they lastly perform.