.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers females's university basketball and also the WNBA.Formerly dealt with UConn and the WNBA Connecticut Sunlight for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate and also Baltimore native with further take in at the Dallas Early Morning Headlines, Seattle Times as well as Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Citizen Author Co-author, Pro Basketball Syllabus collection.Previously an expert along with the Indiana Pacers.Created WARP score and SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo worldwide competitors will meet again on Friday, as the United States ladies's basketball group goes up against the Australian Opals with a place in the 2024 Paris Games' gold award match on the line.Team U.S.A., which is actually using a touch of 59 consecutive Olympic triumphes, developed to the semifinals with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Observing a dismayed reduction to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung together 3 straight success, including Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal choice over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the USA women have actually been actually the gold criterion for basketball throughout the planet, gaining 7 successive Olympic gold medals and nine general, Australia has actually been actually a famous powerhouse along with them. The Opals have medaled in 5 of recent 7 Summer Video games, take away 3 silvers as well as 2 bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris marks the first time they have actually developed past the quarterfinals considering that the 2012 Greater london Video games.2012 additionally was actually the final time the famous Lauren Jackson dressed on the Olympic stage for the eco-friendly as well as gold-- previously. While Team United States has 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals have Jackson, 43, appearing in her 5th Gamings and to begin with in 12 years. Jackson has constantly medaled in the competition, and though she has actually found minimal activity so far in France, she possesses a chance to proceed that streak this weekend.Australia-- which includes 6 active WNBA gamers-- has a lot of drive, yet the Opals are 0-20 all time against the U.S. senior national team, including 0-8 in Olympic competitors. During the course of the five Gamings through which they medaled, Australia lost to the U.S. either in the semifinals or the gold medal competition. The squads last satisfied in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and Kevin Pelton malfunction a number of journalism inquiries heading in to the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credits Jackie Young for jump-starting Staff USABreanna Stewart chats along with Brian Windhorst after Staff U.S.A.'s 14-point get Nigeria to evolve to the semifinals.Team United States changed up its starting five versus Nigeria, along with Jackie Youthful in place of Diana Taurasi. Performed the relocation repair its concerns in the backcourt?Philippou: Starting Young in place of Taurasi-- who possessed last go over the bench at the Olympics in 2004-- was the appropriate technique. With 15 points against Nigeria, Young looks carving out a function as Crew USA's 3rd scorer responsible for A'ja Wilson as well as Breanna Stewart. (Undoubtedly, Young is actually the merely other U.S. gamer averaging dual figures at 10.3 aspects per activity.) Youthful, among 3 Sin city Aces players in the beginning five, displayed her 3-point capturing earlier against Germany, going 5-of-8. But while she went scoreless from deep-seated on Wednesday, it was her capacity to obtain downhill and also reach coming from midrange that stood apart, in addition to her hallmark defense in the backcourt. It took till the center of the 2nd one-fourth for the USA to truly put its own foot on the gasoline against Nigeria, yet Young's aggression and energy on both ends should remain to return. And Taurasi appeared to accomplish properly off the bench, where she improved as a company along with four assists.Pelton: I 'd adore to see starting point guard Chelsea Gray be a hazard to rating. She overlooked all three of her try tries in the quarterfinals, bringing Gray to 1-of-13 thus far during the Olympics. Extremely, the USA outscored Nigeria by only 2 factors in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 other starters possessed a plus-minus of plus-17 or even better while on the court.Still, as I pointed out in our final roundtable, the united state females may get over one non-scorer in the starting 5 such a long time as she is delivering another thing to the desk. And also Gray is with her playmaking, having now amounted to 22 aids against simply 3 turnovers. Therefore, I don't presume coach Cheryl Reeve needs to make additional changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty ImagesWhat concerns carry out the Australians position, and what might create them a hard matchup?Top accounts of the week from Receive unique access to countless superior articles a year coming from top writers. u2022 Solak: Fascinating NFL QB sophomore class "u2022 MLB: Legendary AL MVP battle, other awards "u2022 25 essential gamers in CFP ethnicity" More ESPN+ material ".Philippou: WNBA fans will certainly be properly aware of this Opals squad, which includes the Seattle Hurricane's Ezi Magbegor and also Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Smith, Los Angeles Triggers' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne and also Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus New York Liberty coach Sandy Brondello responsible. Certainly not only perform the Opals have the talent to contend versus Staff USA. They have energy as well as resolve observing their unsatisfactory begin to the Olympics. Brondello has been pleased along with her crew's grace as well as guts over recent full week, pair of premiums an opponent requires when experiencing the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced assault flaunts five gamers averaging at least 8.0 PPG, may hurt enemies inside with Magbegor and Johnson but additionally coming from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the most ideal in the Olympic field and a lot greater than Crew USA's puny 30.8%. Whitcomb and Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while with the Las Vegas Aces, lead the team along with eight as well as seven treys, respectively.Pelton: On paper, Australia is actually deeper and a lot more proficient than any sort of team in the business except for the united state women. Our company can discuss the most effective worldwide gamer at the Paris Gamings, with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and Satou Sabally (Germany) as powerful prospects. Yet no group has a set of gamers comparable to the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor as well as Johnson, each of whom would certainly possess performed my WNBA Dream team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was certainly not called to the team this time even with identical creation.) As well as no team outside the U.S. possesses almost as much WNBA expertise throughout its roster.Given everything talent, it was actually stunning when Australia lost its opening game to Nigeria at that point rarely defeat winless Canada. In their previous pair of video games, our experts have actually seen the Opals our team counted on, as they defeat surpassed France to develop to the knockout phase and also led Serbia through as several as 28 in a lopsided quarterfinal victory.A' Ja dishes to Stewie for 3. LeBron authorizes. United States System and also Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can any individual stop Breanna Stewart and also A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. But if any individual is going to include them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor and Johnson. Australia's message gamers place second (Magbegor, 2.4) as well as 4th (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every video game as well as possess the wheelchair to stand up for Stewart and Wilson on the border. Magbegor is particularly experienced against each opponents, having actually dealt with Stewart virtual for three years as Tornado colleagues as well as compared along with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The biggest hurdle for Magbegor and also Smith is actually filthy trouble. Magbegor got three first-half fouls versus Canada, and also Smith possessed 2 in the first one-fourth versus France, limiting their mins. Backup George is a challenging, experienced gamer (she racked up 18 aspects in 24 moments versus Serbia) yet no place near as sports on defense.Philippou: Pelton raises a valid issue. However given the encounter Stewart as well as Wilson contend this stage-- Stewart is opting for her third Olympic gold as well as Wilson her second, while Magbegor as well as Smith are showing up in their first Video games-- I 'd count on the Team USA tremendously duo to produce the winning participates in important in such a high-pressure scenario to innovation to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and also Belgium would certainly be a more durable enemy for Staff USA?Pelton: I'm going with Belgium, which provided the U.S. girls their hardest Olympic exam but. The Americans prevailed by thirteen aspects, although the margin was only seven getting in the fourth one-fourth of a team stage video game played in Lille, France, near the border with Belgium. All this in spite of Belgium going simply 5-of-27 in 3-point capturing, along with Julie Vanloo particularly battling from downtown while overlooking 10 of her 11 efforts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 from 3, scoring thirteen aspects along with seven assists (albeit with nine turn overs) as Belgium navigated previous Spain, the just various other team besides the united state that was actually unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the lot country along with the group on its own side as well as plenty of honor on the line, a challenging defensive team in France definitely would not be actually a piece of cake, either, especially if Marine Johannes may blow up like she did versus Germany with 24 aspects off the seat and also with Gabby Williams leading the way on both ends.Has Crew United States played its own absolute best basketball yet?Philippou: In-game consistency, specifically on outburst, may still be a problem. There are times when the lack of playing opportunity all together or even Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is actually still noticeable. After all, there's a reason why Sue Bird just recently stated on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that United States Basketball is the absolute most awkward basketball she has actually ever before played. After a little a slow start, the USA inevitably led through 30 in the 3rd one-fourth versus Nigeria, yet Reeve couldn't have actually enjoyed just how her staff made it possible for the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point activity before the final buzzer. With four games, the Americans' shortage of 3-point capturing have not actually been remedied, which could be an issue if rivals get hot coming from deep.Team USA can't neglect some of the remaining teams in the field, but with a protective identity and offensive adeptness led by Stewart as well as Wilson, it has actually presented it can easily put video games away when it needs to, one thing that needs to transfer over in to the last two games.Pelton: On the flip side, I believe the capturing is likewise main reason to think there's one more equipment for the united state girls. Together, the 12 gamers on the lineup have actually incorporated to fire 33% on 3-point efforts in the WNBA this period. That will not make a "Burst Sisters" nickname at any time very soon, but it's likewise better than Team United States has actually handled from the briefer 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and also Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are overdue to warm coming from long selection. Watch out if they finally do.