.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers girls's college basketball and also the WNBA.Previously dealt with UConn and also the WNBA Connecticut Sunshine for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate and also Baltimore indigenous along with more encounter at the Dallas Early Morning Headlines, Seattle Times and also Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Elderly Person Author Co-author, Pro Basketball Prospectus series.Formerly an expert with the Indiana Pacers.Created WARP rating as well as SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo worldwide rivals will definitely reunite on Friday, as the United States women's baseball crew takes on the Australian Opals with an area in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold medal match on the line.Team U.S.A., which is using a touch of 59 consecutive Olympic victories, developed to the semifinals along with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Adhering to a dismayed reduction to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung all together three straight success, featuring Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal choice over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the USA women have been the gold specification for baseball across the globe, succeeding seven consecutive Olympic gold medals as well as nine general, Australia has actually been actually a famous goliath alongside them. The Opals have medaled in 5 of the past 7 Summer seasons Video games, taking home 3 silvers and two bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris marks the very first time they've developed past the quarterfinals given that the 2012 Greater london Video games.2012 also was actually the final opportunity the fabulous Lauren Jackson wore on the Olympic stage for the green and also gold-- until now. While Crew U.S.A. has 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals have Jackson, 43, showing up in her fifth Games and to begin with in 12 years. Jackson has regularly medaled in the competitors, and also though she has actually observed limited action until now in France, she has an odds to proceed that touch this weekend.Australia-- which includes 6 energetic WNBA players-- has lots of energy, but the Opals are 0-20 all time versus the USA senior national staff, featuring 0-8 in Olympic competition. In the course of the 5 Gamings through which they medaled, Australia shed to the united state either in the semifinals or the gold award competition. The teams last met in 2020, when the Americans prevailed 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou as well as Kevin Pelton break a few of the pressing concerns heading right into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit ratings Jackie Young for jump-starting Group USABreanna Stewart speaks with Brian Windhorst after Group USA's 14-point draw Nigeria to accelerate to the semifinals.Team United States shifted up its starting five against Nigeria, along with Jackie Youthful instead of Diana Taurasi. Did the technique fix its problems in the backcourt?Philippou: Starting Youthful instead of Taurasi-- that had final come off the bench at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the best relocation. Along with 15 aspects against Nigeria, Youthful appears to be taking a role as Team U.S.A.'s 3rd marker responsible for A'ja Wilson as well as Breanna Stewart. (Undoubtedly, Youthful is actually the just other U.S. gamer balancing dual designs at 10.3 factors per game.) Young, among 3 Las Vegas Aces gamers in the beginning 5, flaunted her 3-point capturing earlier against Germany, going 5-of-8. Yet while she went scoreless from deep on Wednesday, it was her capability to receive downhill and attack coming from midrange that stuck out, alongside her trademark defense in the backcourt. It took till the center of the 2nd fourth for the U.S. to really place its own foot on the gasoline versus Nigeria, but Young's aggression and electricity on both ends should remain to return. And Taurasi seemed to be to do properly off the seat, where she stepped up as a company with four assists.Pelton: I will enjoy to find beginning point guard Chelsea Gray be actually a risk to rating. She missed out on all three of her chance efforts in the quarterfinals, delivering Gray to 1-of-13 until now in the course of the Olympics. Amazingly, the USA outscored Nigeria through merely pair of factors 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 mentioned in our final roundtable, the united state females may conquer one non-scorer in the starting five so long as she is actually taking another thing to the table. As well as Gray is actually along with her playmaking, having now totaled 22 helps versus just 3 turn overs. Thus, I don't presume coach Cheryl Reeve needs to create additional changes.Photo through Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty ImagesWhat complications carry out the Australians present, as well as what might make them a challenging matchup?Top stories of the week coming from Acquire unique access to countless fee articles a year coming from best article writers. u2022 Solak: Intriguing NFL QB student lesson "u2022 MLB: Impressive AL MVP war, other awards "u2022 25 crucial gamers in CFP nationality" Additional ESPN+ information ".Philippou: WNBA fans will certainly be well accustomed to this Opals team, which includes the Seattle Hurricane's Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Smith, Los Angeles Stimulates' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne as well as Indiana High temperature's Kristy Wallace, plus Nyc Freedom coach Sandy Brondello responsible. Not simply perform the Opals possess the ability to compete versus Staff United States. They possess drive as well as resolve following their unsatisfying start to the Olympics. Brondello has been actually satisfied with her team's grace and also guts over recent full week, pair of high qualities an enemy needs when dealing with the Americans.The Opals, whose balanced assault flaunts 5 gamers averaging a minimum of 8.0 PPG, may injure adversaries inside along with Magbegor as well as Johnson yet also coming from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the very best in the Olympic field and a lot more than Group U.S.A.'s paltry 30.8%. Whitcomb as well as Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while along with the Sin City Aces, lead the team along with 8 and 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: On paper, Australia is actually deeper as well as a lot more gifted than any kind of staff in the business save for the USA girls. We may debate the greatest international gamer at the Paris Games, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and also Satou Sabally (Germany) as sturdy applicants. Yet no team has a set of players like the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor as well as Johnson, each of whom would possess been on my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was actually certainly not named to the group this period regardless of comparable production.) And no crew outside the U.S. has nearly as much WNBA knowledge throughout its own roster.Given all that talent, it was actually stunning when Australia dropped its position game to Nigeria after that rarely defeat winless Canada. In their previous two activities, our experts've viewed the Opals our company counted on, as they defeat topped France to develop to the knockout stage and also led Serbia through as lots of as 28 in an unbalanced quarterfinal victory.A' Ja foods to Stewie for 3. LeBron permits. USA Network as well as Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can easily any individual quit Breanna Stewart as well as A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. However if any person is mosting likely to contain them, it's the duo of Magbegor and also Smith. Australia's article players rank 2nd (Magbegor, 2.4) and also fourth (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every video game and possess the flexibility to stand up for Stewart and Wilson on the boundary. Magbegor is actually specifically experienced versus both rivals, having dealt with Stewart virtual for 3 years as Tornado colleagues and also matched up along with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The largest difficulty for Magbegor as well as Johnson is repulsive trouble. Magbegor got 3 first-half fouls versus Canada, and also Johnson had pair of in the 1st fourth versus France, restricting their moments. Back-up George is a difficult, skillful gamer (she racked up 18 factors in 24 moments versus Serbia) yet nowhere near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up a valid problem. Yet given the experience Stewart and also Wilson contend this phase-- Stewart is opting for her third Olympic gold and also Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor as well as Smith are appearing in their 1st Video games-- I would certainly anticipate the Crew U.S.A. very duo to help make the winning participates in essential in such a stressful condition to advancement to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and also Belgium will be actually a harder challenger for Group USA?Pelton: I'm choosing Belgium, which provided the united state ladies their most difficult Olympic exam however. The Americans prevailed through thirteen aspects, although the margin was merely 7 going into the fourth quarter of a team stage game played in Lille, France, near the border with Belgium. All this despite Belgium going merely 5-of-27 in 3-point firing, along with Julie Vanloo particularly straining coming from midtown while skipping 10 of her 11 efforts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 from 3, racking up 13 aspects along with 7 helps (albeit along with 9 turn overs) as Belgium travelled past Spain, the just various other crew besides the U.S. that was unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the multitude nation along with the group on its side as well as a lot of take pride in on the line, a complicated protective staff in France definitely would not be actually a pushover, either, specifically if Marine Johannes can easily blow up like she carried out against Germany along with 24 aspects off the bench and with Gabby Williams leading the way on both ends.Has Team United States played its finest baseball yet?Philippou: In-game congruity, especially on offense, can easily still be a problem. There are actually times when the shortage of participating in opportunity all together or even Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is still obvious. Nevertheless, there's a main reason why Sue Bird recently pointed out on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that USA Basketball is actually the absolute most uneasy baseball she has ever played. After a little a slow begin, the USA at some point led by 30 in the 3rd one-fourth against Nigeria, yet Reeve could not have actually loved just how her crew allowed the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point activity just before the final buzzer. With four activities, the Americans' shortage of 3-point capturing hasn't actually been treated, which might be an issue if opponents get hot from deep.Team U.S.A. can't overlook any of the continuing to be staffs in the field, however along with a protective identity and also aggressive prowess led through Stewart and Wilson, it has presented it can easily place video games away when it requires to, one thing that ought to transmit over into the last 2 games.Pelton: On the other side, I believe the shooting is additionally explanation to feel there's yet another equipment for the USA girls. Together, the 12 players on the lineup have actually integrated to shoot 33% on 3-point attempts in the WNBA this season. That won't get a "Sprinkle Sisters" label whenever soon, but it's additionally much better than Crew U.S.A. has actually handled from the much shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and also Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are outstanding to warm up coming from long variation. Watch out if they ultimately carry out.