.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers girls's university baseball as well as the WNBA.Previously covered UConn and also the WNBA Connecticut Sunlight for the Hartford Courant.Stanford grad and Baltimore native along with more encounter at the Dallas Morning Updates, Seattle Moments and Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Writer Co-author, Pro Basketball Program series.In the past a specialist with the Indiana Pacers.Established WARP rating and also SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo international competitors will certainly meet again on Friday, as the USA women's baseball staff goes up against the Australian Opals with a spot in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold medal match on the line.Team U.S.A., which is actually riding a touch of 59 consecutive Olympic victories, improved to the semifinals along with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Observing a dismayed loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung with each other 3 straight success, consisting of Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal selection over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the USA women have been the gold requirement for baseball all over the globe, succeeding seven successive Olympic gold awards and nine overall, Australia has been actually a famous giant together with all of them. The Opals have medaled in 5 of recent seven Summertimes Games, take away three silvers and also 2 bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris notes the very first time they've developed past the quarterfinals given that the 2012 London Video games.2012 also was the last time the famous Lauren Jackson suited up on the Olympic phase for the eco-friendly as well as gold-- previously. While Staff U.S.A. has 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, showing up in her 5th Gamings and first in 12 years. Jackson has actually consistently medaled in the competition, as well as though she has observed limited activity so far in France, she has an odds to continue that streak this weekend.Australia-- which boasts 6 active WNBA gamers-- has lots of momentum, but the Opals are 0-20 perpetuity against the USA senior nationwide team, consisting of 0-8 in Olympic competitors. In the course of the five Games in which they medaled, Australia shed to the USA either in the semifinals or even the gold medal contest. The squads final met in 2020, when the Americans prevailed 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and Kevin Pelton break a few of the pressing questions moving right into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit scores Jackie Young for jump-starting Crew USABreanna Stewart chats along with Brian Windhorst after Team United States's 14-point draw Nigeria to accelerate to the semifinals.Team U.S.A. switched over up its own starting five against Nigeria, with Jackie Youthful instead of Diana Taurasi. Did the technique fix its concerns in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Youthful instead of Taurasi-- that had last come off the bench at the Olympics in 2004-- was the correct step. Along with 15 aspects against Nigeria, Young appears to be taking a part as Staff U.S.A.'s third marker responsible for A'ja Wilson and also Breanna Stewart. (Without A Doubt, Young is the simply various other united state gamer averaging dual designs at 10.3 points every video game.) Young, one of 3 Las Vegas Aces players in the beginning 5, displayed her 3-point shooting earlier versus Germany, going 5-of-8. But while she went scoreless from deep on Wednesday, it was her ability to get downhill as well as hit coming from midrange that stood out, alongside her hallmark protection in the backcourt. It took until the middle of the 2nd fourth for the USA to really place its own feet on the gas versus Nigeria, but Young's hostility and electricity on both ends must continue to pay dividends. And also Taurasi seemed to do well off the bench, where she stepped up as a company with four assists.Pelton: I 'd like to view starting point guard Chelsea Gray be a risk to credit rating. She missed all 3 of her go tries in the quarterfinals, bringing Gray to 1-of-13 up until now in the course of the Olympics. Extremely, the united state outscored Nigeria through simply pair of aspects in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 other beginners had a plus-minus of plus-17 or even far better while on the court.Still, as I stated in our final roundtable, the USA ladies can easily get over one non-scorer in the starting 5 such a long time as she is actually delivering something else to the desk. As well as Gray is actually with her playmaking, having actually today totaled 22 helps against just three turnovers. So, I don't presume coach Cheryl Reeve needs to have to create additional changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE through Getty ImagesWhat troubles do the Australians pose, and also what could possibly make all of them a difficult matchup?Top tales of the full week from Acquire exclusive access to thousands of fee posts a year coming from leading article writers. u2022 Solak: Fascinating NFL QB student lesson "u2022 MLB: Epic AL MVP battle, other awards "u2022 25 essential players in CFP ethnicity" Even more ESPN+ content ".Philippou: WNBA followers will definitely be well acquainted with this Opals team, which includes the Seattle Hurricane's Ezi Magbegor and also Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Sparks' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Baggage Melbourne as well as Indiana High temperature's Kristy Wallace, plus Nyc Freedom coach Sandy Brondello responsible. Certainly not simply carry out the Opals have the talent to contend versus Staff U.S.A.. They possess momentum and also fix observing their unsatisfying start to the Olympics. Brondello has been actually satisfied along with her staff's grace and also guts over recent week, pair of qualities a challenger needs when facing the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced strike boasts 5 players averaging at least 8.0 PPG, may hurt opponents inside along with Magbegor and also Smith but likewise from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the very best in the Olympic field and considerably more than Crew USA's puny 30.8%. Whitcomb as well as Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champ while along with the Sin City Aces, lead the team with 8 and 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: On paper, Australia is actually deeper and also a lot more proficient than any sort of staff in the field save for the united state girls. Our team can debate the most effective worldwide gamer at the Paris Video Games, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and also Satou Sabally (Germany) as tough applicants. Yet no crew has a set of gamers comparable to the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and also Johnson, each of whom would have gotten on my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was actually certainly not named to the team this time even with identical manufacturing.) As well as no group outside the USA has almost as much WNBA knowledge throughout its roster.Given the only thing that talent, it was shocking when Australia dropped its position game to Nigeria at that point scarcely defeat winless Canada. In their past two video games, our team have actually viewed the Opals our experts anticipated, as they beat surpassed France to advance to the knockout phase and also led Serbia through as many as 28 in an uneven quarterfinal victory.A' Ja dishes to Stewie for three. LeBron approves. USA Network and Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can any individual cease Breanna Stewart as well as A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. But if anyone is visiting contain them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor and Smith. Australia's blog post gamers position 2nd (Magbegor, 2.4) and also 4th (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks per game and have the movement to speak up for Stewart as well as Wilson on the border. Magbegor is actually especially experienced against both opponents, having actually encountered Stewart virtual for three years as Storm allies and matched up with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The most significant obstacle for Magbegor as well as Smith is filthy difficulty. Magbegor picked up three first-half fouls versus Canada, and Johnson possessed 2 in the first fourth versus France, confining their minutes. Back-up George is a challenging, experienced gamer (she scored 18 factors in 24 mins versus Serbia) yet nowhere near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton raises a valid problem. However provided the take in Stewart as well as Wilson contend this phase-- Stewart is going for her third Olympic gold and Wilson her second, while Magbegor and also Smith are actually looking in their first Gamings-- I will anticipate the Group United States tremendously duo to help make the winning plays essential in such a stressful circumstance to breakthrough to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and Belgium would certainly be actually a more durable enemy for Staff USA?Pelton: I am actually selecting Belgium, which gave the USA women their toughest Olympic exam however. The Americans prevailed through 13 factors, although the margin was only 7 entering into the fourth quarter of a team phase game played in Lille, France, near the perimeter with Belgium. All this in spite of Belgium going only 5-of-27 in 3-point shooting, with Julie Vanloo specifically having a hard time from downtown while skipping 10 of her 11 attempts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 coming from 3, scoring 13 factors with seven aids (albeit with 9 turn overs) as Belgium cruised past Spain, the merely other team besides the united state that was unbeaten in pool play.Philippou: As the lot nation with the group on its own edge and also loads of pleasure vulnerable, a hard defensive crew in France would not be actually a pushover, either, specifically if Marine Johannes may blow up like she performed versus Germany with 24 aspects off the seat as well as with Gabby Williams leading the way on each ends.Has Crew U.S.A. played its greatest baseball yet?Philippou: In-game uniformity, specifically on offense, can still be actually a problem. There are times when the shortage of playing opportunity with each other or Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is still apparent. After all, there's a reason why Sue Bird recently claimed on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that USA Basketball is the most uncomfortable basketball she has actually ever participated in. After a little a slow beginning, the USA eventually led by 30 in the 3rd quarter versus Nigeria, but Reeve couldn't have actually enjoyed just how her crew allowed the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point game prior to the final buzzer. Via 4 activities, the Americans' lack of 3-point shooting hasn't truly been actually corrected, which might be a problem if challengers fume from deep.Team U.S.A. can't neglect any of the remaining staffs in the field, yet with a protective identification as well as offensive prowess led by Stewart and also Wilson, it has actually shown it may place video games away when it requires to, something that should move over in to the ultimate pair of games.Pelton: On the flip side, I believe the shooting is actually likewise reason to believe there is actually one more gear for the united state females. Together, the 12 gamers on the lineup have integrated to fire 33% on 3-point tries in the WNBA this period. That will not get a "Sprinkle Sisters" label any time quickly, yet it is actually likewise better than Group USA has handled coming from the much shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) as well as Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually outstanding to warm up from long range. Keep an eye out if they ultimately carry out.