.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers women's university baseball as well as the WNBA.Earlier dealt with UConn and also the WNBA Connecticut Sunlight for the Hartford Courant.Stanford grad and also Baltimore native along with additional encounter at the Dallas Early Morning Updates, Seattle Times and Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Elder Article Writer Co-author, Pro Basketball Prospectus series.Formerly an expert along with the Indiana Pacers.Created WARP ranking and also SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo worldwide opponents will certainly meet again on Friday, as the USA women's basketball staff faces the Australian Opals with a location in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold award suit on the line.Team USA, which is using a touch of 59 successive Olympic success, improved to the semifinals with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Following a distressed reduction to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung with each other 3 straight success, featuring Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal choice over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the USA women have been the gold specification for basketball throughout the world, winning seven consecutive Olympic gold awards and also nine overall, Australia has actually been actually a historical giant alongside all of them. The Opals have medaled in 5 of recent 7 Summer seasons Video games, take away 3 silvers and 2 bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris notes the very first time they have actually advanced past the quarterfinals given that the 2012 Greater london Gamings.2012 likewise was the last opportunity the epic Lauren Jackson wore on the Olympic stage for the green and gold-- previously. While Staff USA has 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, showing up in her 5th Gamings and also to begin with in 12 years. Jackson has regularly medaled in the competition, as well as though she has observed restricted activity thus far in France, she possesses a possibility to proceed that touch this weekend.Australia-- which flaunts 6 energetic WNBA gamers-- has loads of drive, but the Opals are 0-20 all time versus the united state elderly nationwide crew, consisting of 0-8 in Olympic competitors. During the course of the 5 Games through which they medaled, Australia shed to the U.S. either in the semifinals or even the gold award competition. The teams final complied with in 2020, when the Americans prevailed 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and Kevin Pelton break a number of journalism concerns moving right into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit reports Jackie Youthful for jump-starting Group USABreanna Stewart chats along with Brian Windhorst after Group U.S.A.'s 14-point sway Nigeria to evolve to the semifinals.Team USA changed up its beginning 5 versus Nigeria, with Jackie Young instead of Diana Taurasi. Performed the relocation correct its own problems in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Youthful instead of Taurasi-- that possessed final come off the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was the appropriate technique. Along with 15 aspects against Nigeria, Youthful looks taking a part as Group United States's third scorer behind A'ja Wilson and also Breanna Stewart. (Certainly, Young is actually the just various other USA player averaging dual figures at 10.3 factors every game.) Youthful, among three Las Vegas Aces players in the starting five, flaunted her 3-point capturing previously versus Germany, going 5-of-8. But while she went scoreless from deep on Wednesday, it was her capacity to receive downhill as well as hit from midrange that stood apart, alongside her trademark self defense in the backcourt. It took till the middle of the 2nd quarter for the U.S. to really place its foot on the gas against Nigeria, but Youthful's aggression and also power on each ends must remain to return. And also Taurasi appeared to carry out well off the bench, where she boosted as a facilitator along with 4 assists.Pelton: I 'd love to see starting point guard Chelsea Gray be a danger to rating. She skipped all 3 of her shot efforts in the quarterfinals, taking Gray to 1-of-13 up until now during the course of the Olympics. Amazingly, the USA outscored Nigeria through merely two factors in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 various other beginners had a plus-minus of plus-17 or even far better while on the court.Still, as I mentioned in our last roundtable, the USA ladies may get over one non-scorer in the starting 5 such a long time as she is actually delivering something else to the desk. And Gray is actually with her playmaking, having today totted 22 helps versus only three turnovers. Thus, I don't believe coach Cheryl Reeve needs to make further changes.Photo through Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty ImagesWhat problems do the Australians pose, as well as what could make all of them a hard matchup?Top tales of the full week from Get exclusive accessibility to thousands of premium short articles a year coming from best article writers. u2022 Solak: Interesting NFL QB student training class "u2022 MLB: Legendary AL MVP fight, other awards "u2022 25 crucial gamers in CFP ethnicity" More ESPN+ web content ".Philippou: WNBA followers will definitely be effectively acquainted with this Opals squad, which includes the Seattle Storm's Ezi Magbegor as well as Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Smith, Los Angeles Triggers' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne as well as Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus New York Liberty instructor Sandy Brondello at the helm. Not only carry out the Opals possess the talent to complete against Crew U.S.A.. They possess energy as well as willpower following their unsatisfactory begin to the Olympics. Brondello has been pleased with her crew's grace and grit over the past week, pair of premiums a challenger needs to have when encountering the Americans.The Opals, whose balanced strike includes 5 players averaging a minimum of 8.0 PPG, may hurt foes inside along with Magbegor and Smith however additionally from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the most effective in the Olympic industry as well as a lot more than Team USA's modest 30.8%. Whitcomb and also Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while along with the Sin City Aces, lead the crew along with eight as well as 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: Abstractly, Australia is actually much deeper and much more proficient than any type of group in the business except for the USA women. Our team may discuss the most effective international player at the Paris Games, with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and also Satou Sabally (Germany) as sturdy prospects. However no team has a pair of players comparable to the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and Johnson, both of whom would certainly possess gotten on my WNBA Dream team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was actually certainly not called to the team this time even with identical development.) And no team outside the U.S. possesses nearly as much WNBA knowledge throughout its own roster.Given the only thing that ability, it was astonishing when Australia dropped its own position activity to Nigeria then scarcely defeat winless Canada. In their past pair of activities, our team've seen the Opals we anticipated, as they trump surpassed France to develop to the knockout stage as well as led Serbia through as many as 28 in a lopsided quarterfinal victory.A' Ja recipes to Stewie for 3. LeBron permits. United States Network and Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can anybody stop Breanna Stewart and also A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. However if any individual is visiting have them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor and Smith. Australia's blog post gamers rate 2nd (Magbegor, 2.4) and also 4th (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks per video game as well as possess the wheelchair to defend Stewart as well as Wilson on the boundary. Magbegor is particularly experienced against each rivals, having actually dealt with Stewart in practice for 3 years as Storm colleagues and paired up with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The largest obstacle for Magbegor and Smith is foul trouble. Magbegor grabbed 3 first-half fouls versus Canada, and also Johnson possessed 2 in the initial fourth versus France, limiting their minutes. Backup George is actually a difficult, competent player (she racked up 18 points in 24 minutes against Serbia) but nowhere near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton raises a legitimate concern. Yet provided the experience Stewart and Wilson have at this phase-- Stewart is going for her 3rd Olympic gold and Wilson her second, while Magbegor as well as Johnson are actually showing up in their very first Games-- I will expect the Crew United States incredibly duo to make the winning participates in important in such a stressful circumstance to development to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France as well as Belgium would be a harder opponent for Staff USA?Pelton: I'm selecting Belgium, which gave the USA females their toughest Olympic examination yet. The Americans prevailed through thirteen points, although the frame was just 7 entering the 4th one-fourth of a group phase game 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 especially battling from downtown while missing 10 of her 11 attempts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 coming from 3, racking up 13 aspects along with seven helps (albeit with 9 turn overs) as Belgium travelled previous Spain, the merely other group besides the USA that was unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the lot country along with the crowd on its side as well as loads of take pride in vulnerable, a challenging defensive group in France would not be actually a pushover, either, especially if Marine Johannes may blow up like she carried out versus Germany along with 24 points off the seat and also along with Gabby Williams leading the way on both ends.Has Crew USA played its own ideal basketball yet?Philippou: In-game consistency, especially on offense, may still be an issue. There are times when the absence of participating in opportunity with each other or Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is actually still evident. Besides, there is actually a reason why Sue Bird lately said on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that United States Basketball is actually the best unpleasant basketball she has actually ever participated in. After a little a sluggish begin, the USA inevitably led by 30 in the third quarter versus Nigeria, but Reeve couldn't have adored just how her group allowed the D'Tigress to make it a 14-point game before the final buzzer. With four video games, the Americans' absence of 3-point capturing have not actually been corrected, which might be a concern if opponents fume coming from deep.Team United States can not disregard any one of the remaining groups in the field, yet along with a protective identity as well as aggressive prowess led by Stewart as well as Wilson, it has presented it can easily put games away when it needs to, one thing that must transfer over in to the final 2 games.Pelton: On the other hand, I think the shooting is actually also main reason to feel there's yet another gear for the USA females. Together, the 12 players on the roster have combined to fire thirty three% on 3-point attempts in the WNBA this time. That will not earn a "Burst Sisters" nickname whenever soon, yet it is actually also better than Crew U.S.A. has managed from the shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and also Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are overdue to heat from long variation. Watch out if they lastly perform.