.Brian Windhorst, ESPN Senior Citizen WriterAug 7, 2024, 05:28 PM ETCloseESPN.com NBA author due to the fact that 2010.Dealt With Cleveland Cavs for 7 years.Author of pair of booksPARIS-- The combo of A'ja Wilson and also Breanna Stewart has shown to be a devasting blend for the Staff USA females, to the point where there is a situation cultivating that they could discuss the Olympics The majority of Prized Possession Gamer Award.But there is actually a new duo surfacing, though not an unusual one, that is actually confirmed to be a large improvement as the Americans work toward another gold medal.Las Vegas Aces teammates Kelsey Plum and also Jackie Youthful have improved to be difference-makers in France as well as played key tasks in Crew U.S.A.'s 88-74 victory over Nigeria in the quarterfinals.It denoted the staff's 59th consecutive Olympic victory and sets up a semifinal competition against Australia, victors over Serbia Wednesday, on Friday at 3 p.m. ET.Jackie Youthful completed with double-digit aspects for the second straight game, firing 60% coming from the field in the USA' sway Nigeria. CAROLINE BREHMAN/EPA-EFE/ShutterstockCoach Cheryl Reeve moved Young into the beginning sequence instead of veteran Diana Taurasi against Nigeria, a team known for participating in higher stress full-court defense that tests opposing guards.It was a reward after Young scored 19 points with four swipes off the bench in the ultimate swimming pool play activity versus Germany. She reacted along with one more great functionality, enjoying with energy at both ends along with one more Aces ally, Chelsea Gray, in the backcourt.Young scored 15 aspects and assisted carry the U.S. outburst early in the activity as the Americans left to a bit of a slow begin by their standards.Nigeria was behind by merely four points midway via the 2nd one-fourth. That is actually when Reeve mosted likely to Plum, who was the 12th as well as last player to go into the ready the Americans. Plum promptly modified the activity with her passing and rate on the repulsive point, giving out three easy supports and nailing a 3-pointer. Plum do with merely 6 points however her six-minute switch to end up the 1st fifty percent caused a plus-11 on the scoreboard to press the lead to 19 at one-half. The U.S. then started the second half on a 15-0 operate and the stress was actually provided for the evening.Editor's Picks1 RelatedWilson as well as Stewart, that entered into the activity balancing a matching 20.3 scores per activity, played their label of professional tormenter sphere. Wilson invested twenty aspects on 9-of-11 firing along with 11 rebounds as well as pair of blocks. Stewart had 13 factors on 5-of-7 firing along with 5 rebounds as well as three assists.Brittney Griner went over the bench to credit rating 11 ideas on 4-of-5 firing. Those 3 internal markers mixing for 16-of-21 is tough to beat.The USA got into the game balancing 29 aids and also once more put on a ball-sharing center by putting together 31 more.Promise Amukamara led Nigeria, which cut the top down to as low as 13 in the fourth one-fourth, along with 19 scores. The activity ended with a little bit of advantage when the U.S.'s Kahleah Copper received a technological filthy for tossing the reception at Nigeria's Ezinne Kalu after she racked up in the final few seconds.