.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers females's college basketball and the WNBA.Previously covered UConn and the WNBA Connecticut Sunlight for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate and Baltimore indigenous along with further encounter at the Dallas Early Morning Information, Seat Moments and also Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Citizen Writer Co-author, Pro Baseball Program set.Previously a professional with the Indiana Pacers.Cultivated WARP ranking and SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo international opponents are going to meet again on Friday, as the United States females's basketball crew confronts the Australian Opals with an area in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold medal suit on the line.Team U.S.A., which is using a touch of 59 consecutive Olympic victories, developed to the semifinals with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Complying with a dismayed loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung together three upright success, including Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal decision over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the united state women have actually been the gold criterion for basketball across the planet, succeeding 7 consecutive Olympic gold awards and 9 general, Australia has been a famous giant together with them. The Opals have medaled in five of the past seven Summer Gamings, taking home 3 silvers and pair of bronze, although their semifinal run in Paris denotes the first time they've improved past the quarterfinals considering that the 2012 London Video games.2012 likewise was actually the last opportunity the famous Lauren Jackson dressed on the Olympic stage for the green as well as gold-- until now. While Crew United States possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, showing up in her 5th Games and also first in 12 years. Jackson has actually always medaled in the competition, and also though she has actually viewed minimal activity thus far in France, she possesses an odds to proceed that streak this weekend.Australia-- which flaunts 6 energetic WNBA players-- has plenty of energy, however the Opals are actually 0-20 perpetuity versus the united state elderly nationwide staff, including 0-8 in Olympic competition. During the 5 Gamings in which they medaled, Australia shed to the united state either in the semifinals or even the gold award competition. The squads final satisfied in 2020, when the Americans prevailed 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and Kevin Pelton break several of the pressing questions moving in to the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit reports Jackie Young for jump-starting Crew USABreanna Stewart talks with Brian Windhorst after Crew United States's 14-point sway Nigeria to advance to the semifinals.Team USA switched up its own beginning 5 against Nigeria, along with Jackie Youthful instead of Diana Taurasi. Carried out the action repair its issues in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Youthful instead of Taurasi-- who had last go over the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the appropriate technique. With 15 aspects versus Nigeria, Young seems carving out a duty as Group U.S.A.'s third marker responsible for A'ja Wilson as well as Breanna Stewart. (Certainly, Young is the just other U.S. gamer averaging dual designs at 10.3 aspects per video game.) Youthful, one of 3 Las Vegas Aces gamers in the starting 5, flaunted her 3-point shooting earlier against Germany, going 5-of-8. However while she went scoreless from deep on Wednesday, it was her ability to receive downhill and also strike coming from midrange that stuck out, alongside her hallmark self defense in the backcourt. It took till the center of the second quarter for the USA to actually put its feet on the gasoline versus Nigeria, however Youthful's aggression and also energy on both ends must remain to return. And also Taurasi appeared to accomplish properly off the bench, where she boosted as a company along with four assists.Pelton: I would certainly like to view beginning point guard Chelsea Gray be actually a threat to score. She overlooked all 3 of her try tries in the quarterfinals, delivering Gray to 1-of-13 up until now throughout the Olympics. Remarkably, the united state outscored Nigeria through simply 2 points in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 various other beginners possessed a plus-minus of plus-17 or even far better while on the court.Still, as I stated in our last roundtable, the united state women can easily overcome one non-scorer in the beginning 5 so long as she is carrying something else to the table. As well as Gray is actually along with her playmaking, having actually today completed 22 supports against only 3 turn overs. So, I don't think train Cheryl Reeve needs to have to make further changes.Photo through Garrett Ellwood/NBAE through Getty ImagesWhat complications carry out the Australians posture, and also what might make them a difficult matchup?Top tales of the full week coming from Receive special access to 1000s of premium short articles a year from best authors. u2022 Solak: Interesting NFL QB sophomore lesson "u2022 MLB: Legendary AL MVP struggle, various other awards "u2022 25 crucial gamers in CFP ethnicity" Additional ESPN+ web content ".Philippou: WNBA followers will definitely be effectively acquainted with this Opals team, which includes the Seattle Storm's Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Smith, Los Angeles Triggers' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne as well as Indiana High temperature's Kristy Wallace, plus Nyc Liberty instructor Sandy Brondello at the helm. Certainly not merely carry out the Opals possess the ability to compete against Crew U.S.A.. They possess energy as well as willpower observing their disappointing start to the Olympics. Brondello has been actually satisfied with her team's grace as well as grit over the past full week, 2 top qualities an opponent needs to have when facing the Americans.The Opals, whose balanced strike boasts 5 players averaging at the very least 8.0 PPG, may hurt adversaries inside along with Magbegor and Smith however also from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the best in the Olympic industry and also considerably greater than Crew United States's puny 30.8%. Whitcomb and Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while with the Sin City Aces, lead the team with 8 and seven treys, respectively.Pelton: Abstractly, Australia is actually deeper and also much more accomplished than any staff in the business save for the united state women. Our experts can easily discuss the best worldwide player at the Paris Video Games, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and Satou Sabally (Germany) as strong prospects. But no crew possesses a pair of players like the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and also Smith, each of whom will possess gotten on my WNBA Dream team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was certainly not named to the staff this period even with similar manufacturing.) And no team outside the U.S. possesses almost as much WNBA experience throughout its own roster.Given everything talent, it was actually surprising when Australia shed its own position game to Nigeria then scarcely defeat winless Canada. In their previous 2 games, we have actually found the Opals our experts counted on, as they trump outdoed France to develop to the knockout stage and led Serbia through as a lot of as 28 in an unequal quarterfinal victory.A' Ja meals to Stewie for three. LeBron authorizes. U.S.A. Network and Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can easily anyone quit Breanna Stewart as well as A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. However if any individual is heading to have them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor and also Smith. Australia's article players position second (Magbegor, 2.4) as well as 4th (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks per activity and possess the wheelchair to stand up for Stewart as well as Wilson on the boundary. Magbegor is actually especially experienced against each challengers, having experienced Stewart virtual for three years as Hurricane teammates and also compared along with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The most significant challenge for Magbegor and Johnson is foul trouble. Magbegor got 3 first-half fouls versus Canada, and also Smith possessed 2 in the initial quarter versus France, confining their moments. Backup George is a challenging, skilled gamer (she racked up 18 factors in 24 mins against Serbia) but nowhere near as sports on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up a legitimate worry. However given the encounter Stewart as well as Wilson have at this phase-- Stewart is actually going for her third Olympic gold as well as Wilson her second, while Magbegor as well as Johnson are appearing in their first Video games-- I 'd count on the Group United States incredibly duo to make the winning participates in necessary in such a high-pressure scenario to advancement to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France as well as Belgium would be actually a harder rival for Group USA?Pelton: I am actually going with Belgium, which provided the united state girls their hardest Olympic exam however. The Americans prevailed by thirteen aspects, although the scope was just 7 getting into the 4th one-fourth of a team stage activity played in Lille, France, near the edge along with Belgium. All this despite Belgium going only 5-of-27 in 3-point firing, with Julie Vanloo particularly straining coming from midtown while missing out on 10 of her 11 tries. On Wednesday, the Mystics point guard went 3-of-5 coming from 3, scoring 13 aspects along with seven supports (albeit along with 9 turnovers) as Belgium navigated past Spain, the just various other staff besides the USA that was actually unbeaten in pool play.Philippou: As the bunch nation along with the group on its own side and also a lot of satisfaction on the line, a challenging defensive team in France wouldn't be a piece of cake, either, especially if Marine Johannes can blow up like she performed versus Germany with 24 points off the seat and with Gabby Williams leading the way on both ends.Has Group USA played its greatest baseball yet?Philippou: In-game congruity, particularly on outburst, may still be a problem. There are actually opportunities when the shortage of participating in time together or even Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is still noticeable. After all, there is actually a main reason why Sue Bird lately pointed out on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that U.S.A. Basketball is the best awkward basketball she has actually ever played. After a little a sluggish start, the united state inevitably led through 30 in the third fourth against Nigeria, however Reeve could not have actually enjoyed how her staff enabled the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point activity before the final buzzer. By means of four games, the Americans' shortage of 3-point capturing have not definitely been actually treated, which can be an issue if enemies get hot coming from deep.Team U.S.A. can not forget any of the continuing to be staffs in the business, but with a defensive identification and aggressive expertise led by Stewart as well as Wilson, it has actually shown it can place activities away when it requires to, something that ought to move over in to the final two games.Pelton: On the other hand, I assume the shooting is actually also main reason to think there is actually one more gear for the united state ladies. Jointly, the 12 players on the lineup have actually blended to shoot thirty three% on 3-point attempts in the WNBA this time. That won't gain a "Dash Sisters" nickname any time very soon, but it's also far better than Team United States has managed coming from the much shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and also Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually outstanding to warm up coming from lengthy variety. Watch out if they finally perform.