.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers women's college baseball as well as the WNBA.Earlier dealt with UConn as well as the WNBA Connecticut Sunlight for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate and also Baltimore indigenous with more encounter at the Dallas Morning Information, Seattle Times as well as Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Author Co-author, Pro Basketball Prospectus collection.Formerly an expert along with the Indiana Pacers.Developed WARP ranking and SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo worldwide rivals will reunite on Friday, as the USA ladies's baseball crew takes on the Australian Opals with a place in the 2024 Paris Gamings' gold award suit on the line.Team United States, which is using a streak of 59 consecutive Olympic success, improved to the semifinals along with an 88-74 overcome Nigeria on Wednesday. Following a distressed loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung all together three upright success, featuring Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal decision over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the USA women have actually been actually the gold criterion for baseball all over the world, gaining 7 consecutive Olympic gold medals and also nine total, Australia has actually been actually a famous giant along with all of them. The Opals have medaled in 5 of the past 7 Summers months Games, taking home three silvers and two bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris notes the very first time they have actually improved past the quarterfinals given that the 2012 London Video games.2012 likewise was the last opportunity the fabulous Lauren Jackson suited up on the Olympic stage for the eco-friendly and also gold-- previously. While Team USA possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, seeming in her fifth Games and first in 12 years. Jackson has actually constantly medaled in the competition, as well as though she has actually found limited action until now in France, she possesses a chance to carry on that touch this weekend.Australia-- which boasts 6 energetic WNBA players-- possesses lots of energy, yet the Opals are 0-20 all time versus the U.S. senior nationwide crew, consisting of 0-8 in Olympic competition. In the course of the 5 Games in which they medaled, Australia lost to the U.S. either in the semifinals or even the gold medal contest. The teams last fulfilled in 2020, when the Americans prevailed 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and also Kevin Pelton break several of the pressing inquiries heading in to the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit ratings Jackie Young for jump-starting Group USABreanna Stewart speaks with Brian Windhorst after Team United States's 14-point win over Nigeria to advance to the semifinals.Team USA shifted up its beginning five versus Nigeria, with Jackie Youthful instead of Diana Taurasi. Carried out the technique repair its own concerns in the backcourt?Philippou: Starting Youthful instead of Taurasi-- that had last come off the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the ideal relocation. Along with 15 aspects versus Nigeria, Young looks taking a function as Staff USA's 3rd marker responsible for A'ja Wilson and also Breanna Stewart. (Without A Doubt, Youthful is the simply various other united state gamer balancing double figures at 10.3 aspects per game.) Young, among 3 Sin city Aces players in the beginning five, exhibited her 3-point shooting earlier against Germany, going 5-of-8. But while she went scoreless coming from deep-seated on Wednesday, it was her capability to receive downhill and reach from midrange that attracted attention, in addition to her hallmark defense in the backcourt. It took till the middle of the 2nd one-fourth for the U.S. to really put its own feet on the gasoline against Nigeria, but Young's aggressiveness and power on each ends should remain to pay dividends. And also Taurasi seemed to be to perform properly off the bench, where she stepped up as a company along with 4 assists.Pelton: I 'd love to view starting point guard Chelsea Gray be actually a threat to score. She skipped all 3 of her chance tries in the quarterfinals, delivering Gray to 1-of-13 until now during the Olympics. Incredibly, the U.S. outscored Nigeria through only pair of points in Gray's 17:27, while all four other beginners had a plus-minus of plus-17 or even far better while on the court.Still, as I pointed out in our final roundtable, the U.S. girls can overcome one non-scorer in the starting five so long as she is delivering another thing to the desk. And also Gray is along with her playmaking, having today totted 22 assists against just 3 turn overs. So, I do not assume instructor Cheryl Reeve requires to create additional changes.Photo through Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty ImagesWhat troubles do the Australians pose, and what could possibly make them a challenging matchup?Top tales of the week coming from Obtain special accessibility to 1000s of superior short articles a year coming from leading article writers. u2022 Solak: Interesting NFL QB sophomore course "u2022 MLB: Legendary AL MVP struggle, other awards "u2022 25 most important gamers in CFP ethnicity" Even more ESPN+ web content ".Philippou: WNBA supporters will definitely be well acquainted with this Opals squad, which features the Seat Storm's Ezi Magbegor and also Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Sparks' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne and Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus The big apple Freedom trainer Sandy Brondello responsible. Not merely perform the Opals have the talent to complete versus Crew USA. They possess drive and willpower observing their unsatisfactory begin to the Olympics. Brondello has actually been felt free to along with her crew's grace and also grit over the past week, pair of qualities a challenger needs to have when experiencing the Americans.The Opals, whose balanced strike flaunts 5 gamers balancing at least 8.0 PPG, may hurt enemies inside with Magbegor and also Smith but likewise coming from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the best in the Olympic area as well as a lot greater than Team U.S.A.'s modest 30.8%. Whitcomb and also Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champ while along with the Sin City Aces, lead the crew with eight and also 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: On paper, Australia is actually much deeper and also even more skilled than any type of crew in the business except for the U.S. females. Our company can discuss the greatest international gamer at the Paris Video Games, with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and Satou Sabally (Germany) as strong candidates. Yet no team has a set of gamers like the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and Smith, each of whom would certainly have gotten on my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was actually not called to the crew this time in spite of identical development.) And no group outside the united state has almost as a lot WNBA experience throughout its roster.Given all that talent, it was astonishing when Australia shed its own opening game to Nigeria after that barely trump winless Canada. In their previous 2 games, our company've viewed the Opals our experts anticipated, as they trump exceeded France to develop to the knockout stage as well as led Serbia by as many as 28 in an uneven quarterfinal victory.A' Ja meals to Stewie for three. LeBron approves. USA Network as well as Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 May anybody stop Breanna Stewart and also A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. However if any individual is actually visiting contain them, it's the duo of Magbegor and Johnson. Australia's post gamers place second (Magbegor, 2.4) and also fourth (Johnson, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks per video game and possess the wheelchair to stand up for Stewart and Wilson on the perimeter. Magbegor is actually especially experienced versus each challengers, having actually dealt with Stewart in practice for three years as Storm colleagues and also compared along with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The largest challenge for Magbegor and also Smith is repulsive problem. Magbegor got 3 first-half fouls versus Canada, as well as Smith had two in the first quarter versus France, limiting their moments. Backup George is actually a hard, competent gamer (she scored 18 factors in 24 moments against Serbia) yet no place near as sports on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up a legitimate concern. Yet given the encounter Stewart and also Wilson have at this phase-- Stewart is opting for her 3rd Olympic gold as well as Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor and Smith are appearing in their first Games-- I would certainly anticipate the Team U.S.A. super duo to create the winning plays required in such a high-pressure situation to breakthrough to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France as well as Belgium would certainly be actually a more durable enemy for Staff USA?Pelton: I am actually selecting Belgium, which provided the U.S. females their most difficult Olympic exam however. The Americans prevailed through thirteen aspects, although the margin was just 7 going into the 4th quarter of a group stage video game played in Lille, France, near the perimeter with Belgium. All this despite Belgium going merely 5-of-27 in 3-point capturing, with Julie Vanloo especially straining from midtown while missing out on 10 of her 11 attempts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point guard went 3-of-5 from 3, scoring thirteen aspects along with seven helps (albeit along with nine turn overs) as Belgium travelled previous Spain, the simply other staff besides the U.S. that was actually unbeaten in pool play.Philippou: As the multitude country with the group on its edge and also a lot of pride on the line, a difficult defensive crew in France wouldn't be actually a piece of cake, either, particularly if Marine Johannes may go off like she carried out against Germany along with 24 factors off the seat and also along with Gabby Williams blazing a trail on both ends.Has Staff U.S.A. played its own greatest basketball yet?Philippou: In-game uniformity, specifically on outburst, may still be a concern. There are actually opportunities when the shortage of participating in opportunity together or even Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is actually still apparent. It goes without saying, there is actually a reason Sue Bird just recently claimed on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that U.S.A. Basketball is actually the most uneasy baseball she has ever before participated in. After a little bit of a sluggish start, the USA eventually led by 30 in the 3rd fourth against Nigeria, yet Reeve couldn't have actually enjoyed exactly how her group allowed the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point activity before the final buzzer. Via 4 activities, the Americans' shortage of 3-point capturing have not really been actually fixed, which might be a concern if opponents fume coming from deep.Team USA can't forget some of the staying staffs in the business, yet with a defensive identification as well as aggressive expertise led by Stewart and also Wilson, it has presented it may put activities away when it needs to, something that should transmit over into the ultimate pair of games.Pelton: On the other side, I assume the firing is actually additionally explanation to believe there is actually one more equipment for the U.S. ladies. Together, the 12 players on the roster have mixed to fire thirty three% on 3-point attempts in the WNBA this period. That won't get a "Sprinkle Sisters" label at any time quickly, however it's likewise far better than Group United States has actually managed from the much shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually overdue to warm from long variation. Look out if they lastly do.