.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers ladies's college basketball and also the WNBA.Previously covered UConn as well as the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate and Baltimore native with further take in at the Dallas Early Morning Updates, Seattle Times as well as Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Citizen Writer Co-author, Pro Baseball Prospectus set.Previously an expert along with the Indiana Pacers.Created WARP score as well as SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo international rivals will definitely reunite on Friday, as the USA females's basketball staff confronts the Australian Opals with an area in the 2024 Paris Gamings' gold award suit on the line.Team USA, which is using a touch of 59 successive Olympic triumphes, improved to the semifinals with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Following a dismayed loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung with each other three straight success, consisting of Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal choice over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the united state women have been actually the gold requirement for baseball across the globe, winning seven successive Olympic gold awards as well as 9 general, Australia has been a historical goliath together with them. The Opals have actually medaled in five of the past seven Summertimes Gamings, take away 3 silvers and 2 bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris notes the very first time they've advanced past the quarterfinals given that the 2012 Greater london Gamings.2012 additionally was the last opportunity the epic Lauren Jackson suited up on the Olympic stage for the environment-friendly and gold-- until now. While Crew U.S.A. possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals have Jackson, 43, seeming in her 5th Games as well as initially in 12 years. Jackson has consistently medaled in the competitors, and though she has actually observed restricted activity until now in France, she possesses a possibility to carry on that streak this weekend.Australia-- which boasts 6 energetic WNBA gamers-- possesses loads of energy, but the Opals are actually 0-20 all time versus the U.S. senior national staff, including 0-8 in Olympic competition. In the course of the 5 Gamings in which they medaled, Australia lost to the united state either in the semifinals or even the gold award contest. The teams final complied with in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and also Kevin Pelton break a number of the pressing questions heading into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart debts Jackie Youthful for jump-starting Team USABreanna Stewart speaks with Brian Windhorst after Team USA's 14-point get Nigeria to accelerate to the semifinals.Team United States shifted up its own beginning five versus Nigeria, with Jackie Young instead of Diana Taurasi. Carried out the move fix its own issues in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Young instead of Taurasi-- that had final come off the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was the correct action. With 15 factors against Nigeria, Youthful looks taking a function as Group United States's third marker behind A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. (Certainly, Youthful is the just other U.S. player balancing dual designs at 10.3 aspects per activity.) Young, some of 3 Las Vegas Aces gamers in the beginning five, flaunted her 3-point shooting earlier versus Germany, going 5-of-8. But while she went scoreless coming from deep-seated on Wednesday, it was her capacity to obtain downhill and also strike from midrange that attracted attention, together with her trademark self defense in the backcourt. It took up until the middle of the second fourth for the united state to definitely place its own foot on the gas versus Nigeria, but Young's hostility and power on each ends ought to continue to return. As well as Taurasi seemed to carry out well off the bench, where she stepped up as a facilitator along with 4 assists.Pelton: I would certainly really love to see beginning point player Chelsea Gray be actually a danger to score. She overlooked all three of her chance tries in the quarterfinals, carrying Gray to 1-of-13 so far in the course of the Olympics. Amazingly, the U.S. outscored Nigeria by merely two aspects in Gray's 17:27, while all four other beginners had a plus-minus of plus-17 or better while on the court.Still, as I mentioned in our last roundtable, the U.S. women can easily eliminate one non-scorer in the starting five so long as she is carrying something else to the desk. As well as Gray is along with her playmaking, having actually right now totted 22 aids versus just 3 turn overs. Thus, I don't believe train Cheryl Reeve needs to make further changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE using Getty ImagesWhat problems do the Australians posture, as well as what could create all of them a hard matchup?Top tales of the week coming from Obtain special accessibility to hundreds of costs short articles a year from best writers. u2022 Solak: Interesting NFL QB sophomore training class "u2022 MLB: Impressive AL MVP struggle, various other honors "u2022 25 most important players in CFP nationality" Even more ESPN+ information ".Philippou: WNBA enthusiasts will be well accustomed to this Opals team, which features the Seat Hurricane's Ezi Magbegor and also Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Stimulates' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne and Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus New York Freedom trainer Sandy Brondello at the helm. Certainly not merely carry out the Opals have the skill to complete versus Team United States. They possess momentum and resolve following their unsatisfactory start to the Olympics. Brondello has been pleased with her group's poise and guts over the past week, two top qualities an enemy requires when dealing with the Americans.The Opals, whose balanced assault boasts five gamers balancing a minimum of 8.0 PPG, can easily injure foes inside with Magbegor and Johnson but also from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the very best in the Olympic area and also considerably higher than Crew United States's paltry 30.8%. Whitcomb as well as Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champ while along with the Sin City Aces, lead the staff along with eight and 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: Abstractly, Australia is much deeper as well as extra skilled than any type of group in the field except for the USA girls. We can easily question the greatest global player at the Paris Gamings, with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) as well as Satou Sabally (Germany) as strong prospects. But no crew possesses a set of players comparable to the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and Johnson, each of whom will have been on my WNBA Dream team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was not named to the team this season even with comparable development.) And also no team outside the U.S. possesses virtually as much WNBA expertise throughout its own roster.Given everything ability, it was stunning when Australia dropped its opening video game to Nigeria after that scarcely defeat winless Canada. In their previous 2 activities, our experts've seen the Opals we anticipated, as they defeat bested France to advance to the knockout phase and led Serbia by as numerous as 28 in a lopsided quarterfinal victory.A' Ja recipes to Stewie for 3. LeBron accepts. U.S.A. System as well as Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can any person cease Breanna Stewart and also A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. However if any individual is actually visiting include them, it's the duo of Magbegor and Johnson. Australia's post gamers rank second (Magbegor, 2.4) as well as fourth (Johnson, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every activity and also possess the flexibility to speak up for Stewart and Wilson on the border. Magbegor is actually especially experienced versus both challengers, having dealt with Stewart virtual for 3 years as Storm teammates and paired up along with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The greatest hurdle for Magbegor and Johnson is filthy trouble. Magbegor picked up 3 first-half fouls versus Canada, and also Smith had pair of in the initial one-fourth versus France, confining their mins. Backup George is a hard, knowledgeable player (she racked up 18 factors in 24 minutes versus Serbia) yet nowhere near as sports on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up an authentic worry. Yet given the take in Stewart and Wilson contend this stage-- Stewart is going with her third Olympic gold as well as Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor and Smith are actually appearing in their initial Gamings-- I 'd anticipate the Crew USA extremely duo to produce the winning participates in important in such a high-pressure condition to advance to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and also Belgium would certainly be actually a tougher enemy for Team USA?Pelton: I'm choosing Belgium, which provided the U.S. girls their most difficult Olympic exam but. The Americans prevailed through 13 factors, although the margin was just 7 getting in the fourth quarter of a team stage activity played in Lille, France, near the borderline along with Belgium. All this despite Belgium going just 5-of-27 in 3-point capturing, along with Julie Vanloo especially struggling from downtown while missing 10 of her 11 efforts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point guard went 3-of-5 from 3, racking up thirteen aspects along with 7 helps (albeit with nine turnovers) as Belgium cruised previous Spain, the only various other staff besides the USA that was unbeaten in pool play.Philippou: As the multitude nation along with the group on its own edge as well as plenty of take pride in vulnerable, a complicated defensive crew in France wouldn't be a piece of cake, either, especially if Marine Johannes may go off like she did versus Germany along with 24 factors off the seat and also with Gabby Williams breaking the ice on both ends.Has Crew U.S.A. played its best basketball yet?Philippou: In-game uniformity, particularly on outburst, may still be a concern. There are actually times when the lack of participating in time all together or even Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is actually still apparent. After all, there's a reason that Sue Bird recently claimed on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that United States Baseball is actually the best awkward basketball she has actually ever before participated in. After a little a slow begin, the U.S. eventually led by 30 in the third fourth versus Nigeria, yet Reeve couldn't have actually really loved exactly how her team enabled the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point activity just before the ultimate buzzer. With four video games, the Americans' absence of 3-point shooting have not actually been actually treated, which might be a problem if rivals get hot from deep.Team U.S.A. can not neglect any one of the continuing to be teams in the business, but with a defensive identification as well as aggressive expertise led by Stewart and Wilson, it has actually shown it can easily place games away when it requires to, something that must move over into the final two games.Pelton: On the other hand, I presume the shooting is actually likewise explanation to feel there is actually yet another gear for the USA females. Together, the 12 gamers on the lineup have actually incorporated to fire thirty three% on 3-point tries in the WNBA this season. That won't make a "Splash Sis" label at any time very soon, however it's likewise better than Group USA has dealt with from the much shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) as well as Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually past due to heat up from long range. Keep an eye out if they eventually carry out.