.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers girls's university basketball and the WNBA.Recently covered UConn and also the WNBA Connecticut Sunshine for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate and also Baltimore indigenous with more experience at the Dallas Early Morning Information, Seattle Times and also Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Citizen Author Co-author, Pro Baseball Syllabus series.Previously an expert with the Indiana Pacers.Developed WARP ranking as well as SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo global rivals will certainly reunite on Friday, as the United States women's baseball group faces the Australian Opals along with a spot in the 2024 Paris Games' gold medal match on the line.Team USA, which is riding a touch of 59 successive Olympic success, developed to the semifinals with an 88-74 overcome Nigeria on Wednesday. Adhering to an upset reduction to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung all together 3 upright success, consisting of Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal selection over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the united state females have been the gold specification for baseball throughout the world, gaining seven consecutive Olympic gold medals and nine overall, Australia has actually been a historic giant along with them. The Opals have medaled in 5 of recent seven Summer Games, taking home 3 silvers as well as 2 bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris marks the first time they have actually improved past the quarterfinals due to the fact that the 2012 London Games.2012 likewise was the last opportunity the fabulous Lauren Jackson dressed on the Olympic stage for the environment-friendly and gold-- previously. While Team USA possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, showing up in her fifth Video games as well as to begin with in 12 years. Jackson has actually constantly medaled in the competition, and also though she has observed restricted action thus far in France, she possesses an opportunity to proceed that streak this weekend.Australia-- which flaunts 6 energetic WNBA players-- possesses plenty of energy, but the Opals are actually 0-20 all time versus the U.S. senior national staff, featuring 0-8 in Olympic competition. In the course of the five Gamings through which they medaled, Australia shed to the united state either in the semifinals or the gold medal competition. The squads last met in 2020, when the Americans prevailed 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and also Kevin Pelton break down some of the pressing concerns moving in to the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart debts Jackie Youthful for jump-starting Staff USABreanna Stewart chats with Brian Windhorst after Group United States's 14-point sway Nigeria to progress to the semifinals.Team U.S.A. switched up its own starting 5 versus Nigeria, along with Jackie Youthful in place of Diana Taurasi. Carried out the action repair its own problems in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Young instead of Taurasi-- who had last go over the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the appropriate action. With 15 factors against Nigeria, Young appears to be taking a part as Group U.S.A.'s third marker behind A'ja Wilson and also Breanna Stewart. (Certainly, Youthful is the just various other united state gamer averaging dual designs at 10.3 factors per video game.) Youthful, among 3 Sin city Aces players in the starting 5, showed off her 3-point shooting previously against Germany, going 5-of-8. Yet while she went scoreless from deep-seated on Wednesday, it was her potential to acquire downhill and hit coming from midrange that stuck out, in addition to her hallmark defense in the backcourt. It took till the center of the 2nd one-fourth for the united state to really put its feet on the gasoline against Nigeria, however Youthful's hostility as well as power on both ends ought to continue to return. As well as Taurasi seemed to be to do well off the bench, where she improved as a facilitator with 4 assists.Pelton: I would certainly enjoy to observe beginning point guard Chelsea Gray be a risk to score. She missed all 3 of her try tries in the quarterfinals, bringing Gray to 1-of-13 up until now during the Olympics. Extremely, the U.S. outscored Nigeria through only two points in Gray's 17:27, while all four various other starters possessed a plus-minus of plus-17 or far better while on the court.Still, as I pointed out in our last roundtable, the U.S. females can easily get rid of one non-scorer in the beginning 5 such a long time as she is carrying something else to the desk. And also Gray is actually along with her playmaking, having right now amounted to 22 assists against only three turn overs. Therefore, I don't presume coach Cheryl Reeve needs to have to make further changes.Photo through Garrett Ellwood/NBAE using Getty ImagesWhat issues perform the Australians present, as well as what could possibly create them a difficult matchup?Top stories of the full week coming from Obtain exclusive accessibility to thousands of premium posts a year from leading writers. u2022 Solak: Appealing NFL QB student lesson "u2022 MLB: Legendary AL MVP battle, various other awards "u2022 25 most important players in CFP nationality" More ESPN+ content ".Philippou: WNBA supporters will be well accustomed to this Opals team, which features the Seattle Hurricane's Ezi Magbegor and also Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Triggers' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne as well as Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus New York Freedom instructor Sandy Brondello responsible. Certainly not just do the Opals possess the skill to complete versus Team United States. They possess drive and also resolve following their unsatisfactory begin to the Olympics. Brondello has actually been satisfied along with her group's grace and also guts over recent full week, 2 qualities a challenger requires when encountering the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced assault flaunts five players averaging at least 8.0 PPG, can easily hurt adversaries inside with Magbegor and Smith yet likewise from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the most effective in the Olympic industry and considerably more than Group USA's tiny 30.8%. Whitcomb and Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champ while along with the Las Vegas Aces, lead the crew with 8 and 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: Abstractly, Australia is deeper and even more proficient than any type of group in the field except for the USA ladies. Our team may question the best international player at the Paris Games, with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) as well as Satou Sabally (Germany) as tough applicants. But no crew possesses a pair of gamers like the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and Smith, both of whom would certainly have performed my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was actually certainly not named to the crew this period even with identical manufacturing.) And no group outside the USA possesses virtually as much WNBA expertise throughout its own roster.Given all that ability, it was actually surprising when Australia lost its own opening activity to Nigeria then barely defeat winless Canada. In their past 2 games, our team have actually observed the Opals we expected, as they defeat outdoed France to advance to the knockout stage as well as led Serbia through as numerous as 28 in an unequal quarterfinal victory.A' Ja dishes to Stewie for 3. LeBron authorizes. United States Network as well as Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 May anyone stop Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. Yet if any person is actually mosting likely to have them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor and Smith. Australia's article gamers rate 2nd (Magbegor, 2.4) and also fourth (Johnson, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every activity as well as have the movement to stand up for Stewart as well as Wilson on the boundary. Magbegor is actually specifically experienced versus both enemies, having dealt with Stewart virtual for 3 years as Storm colleagues and matched up along with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The most significant barrier for Magbegor and Johnson is nasty issue. Magbegor picked up 3 first-half fouls against Canada, and Johnson possessed pair of in the very first fourth versus France, confining their moments. Data backup George is actually a difficult, skillful gamer (she scored 18 factors in 24 moments versus Serbia) yet nowhere near as sports on defense.Philippou: Pelton raises a valid issue. However given the take in Stewart and Wilson have at this stage-- Stewart is actually choosing her third Olympic gold and Wilson her second, while Magbegor and Johnson are seeming in their first Games-- I 'd anticipate the Crew USA very duo to create the winning participates in needed 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 more durable enemy for Crew USA?Pelton: I am actually choosing Belgium, which gave the U.S. women their toughest Olympic exam however. The Americans dominated by 13 points, although the margin was simply seven entering the fourth quarter of a team phase activity played in Lille, France, near the borderline along with Belgium. All this despite Belgium going only 5-of-27 in 3-point shooting, along with Julie Vanloo especially battling from midtown while missing 10 of her 11 efforts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point guard went 3-of-5 coming from 3, racking up thirteen factors along with 7 supports (albeit with 9 turnovers) as Belgium cruised past Spain, the only other team besides the U.S. that was unbeaten in pool play.Philippou: As the multitude nation along with the group on its edge and loads of take pride in on the line, a complicated defensive crew in France definitely would not be a piece of cake, either, particularly if Marine Johannes can easily go off like she did against Germany along with 24 aspects off the bench as well as along with Gabby Williams breaking the ice on both ends.Has Staff United States played its own best basketball yet?Philippou: In-game consistency, especially on offense, can still be actually a concern. There are times when the shortage of participating in time all together or even Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is still evident. It goes without saying, there is actually a reason Sue Bird just recently pointed out on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that USA Basketball is actually the most annoying basketball she has actually ever before participated in. After a little a slow begin, the united state ultimately led by 30 in the 3rd one-fourth against Nigeria, however Reeve could not have actually loved just how her group allowed the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point video game before the final buzzer. With 4 games, the Americans' lack of 3-point shooting have not actually been treated, which may be a problem if challengers get hot coming from deep.Team United States can not overlook some of the staying crews in the business, yet with a protective identification and also aggressive prowess led by Stewart and also Wilson, it has revealed it can put games away when it requires to, one thing that needs to transmit over right into the final two games.Pelton: On the other side, I think the firing is actually likewise reason to feel there's an additional gear for the USA women. Collectively, the 12 players on the roster have integrated to shoot thirty three% on 3-point attempts in the WNBA this time. That will not gain a "Burst Sisters" nickname any time very soon, however it is actually additionally far better than Group U.S.A. has actually dealt with coming from the much shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are overdue to heat coming from long variety. Keep an eye out if they finally carry out.