.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers girls's university basketball and the WNBA.Formerly dealt with UConn and the WNBA Connecticut Sunshine for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate and also Baltimore native along with further experience at the Dallas Morning Updates, Seat Moments as well as Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Elder Writer Co-author, Pro Basketball Prospectus collection.Previously a consultant with the Indiana Pacers.Cultivated WARP rating as well as SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo global rivals will meet again on Friday, as the United States girls's basketball group faces the Australian Opals with a place in the 2024 Paris Games' gold medal match on the line.Team United States, which is actually using a touch of 59 consecutive Olympic victories, improved to the semifinals with an 88-74 overcome Nigeria on Wednesday. Observing an upset loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung all together three upright victories, including Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal choice over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the united state ladies have actually been the gold specification for baseball across the globe, winning 7 consecutive Olympic gold awards and also 9 general, Australia has been a famous giant alongside them. The Opals have actually medaled in five of recent 7 Summers months Gamings, taking home 3 silvers and also 2 bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris notes the first time they've improved past the quarterfinals given that the 2012 London Video games.2012 additionally was actually the final opportunity the famous Lauren Jackson dressed on the Olympic phase for the environment-friendly and gold-- until now. While Team United States possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, seeming in her 5th Gamings and also initially in 12 years. Jackson has actually consistently medaled in the competitors, as well as though she has viewed minimal action until now in France, she has a chance to carry on that streak this weekend.Australia-- which flaunts 6 active WNBA gamers-- possesses a lot of drive, but the Opals are actually 0-20 perpetuity against the united state senior nationwide group, featuring 0-8 in Olympic competition. During the 5 Gamings through which they medaled, Australia lost to the USA either in the semifinals or even the gold medal competition. The squads last complied with in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and Kevin Pelton break a few of journalism questions heading in to the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit histories Jackie Young for jump-starting Crew USABreanna Stewart chats with Brian Windhorst after Crew United States's 14-point win over Nigeria to evolve to the semifinals.Team U.S.A. changed up its starting five versus Nigeria, with Jackie Young in place of Diana Taurasi. Did the technique fix its own problems in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Young in place of Taurasi-- that had final go over the bench at the Olympics in 2004-- was the appropriate action. Along with 15 aspects versus Nigeria, Young seems taking a part as Group United States's third marker responsible for A'ja Wilson as well as Breanna Stewart. (Indeed, Young is actually the only other USA player averaging dual figures at 10.3 factors per video game.) Youthful, among three Sin city Aces gamers in the starting five, displayed her 3-point capturing earlier versus Germany, going 5-of-8. However while she went scoreless from deep-seated on Wednesday, it was her ability to acquire downhill and reach from midrange that stood out, together with her hallmark self defense in the backcourt. It took up until the middle of the 2nd quarter for the U.S. to definitely place its own feet on the gasoline versus Nigeria, yet Youthful's aggressiveness and energy on both ends ought to remain to pay dividends. And also Taurasi seemed to accomplish well off the seat, where she improved as a facilitator with four assists.Pelton: I 'd really love to find starting point guard Chelsea Gray be actually a hazard to credit rating. She skipped all 3 of her shot tries in the quarterfinals, taking Gray to 1-of-13 thus far throughout the Olympics. Remarkably, the USA outscored Nigeria through merely pair of factors in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 various other starters possessed a plus-minus of plus-17 or even better while on the court.Still, as I pointed out in our last roundtable, the U.S. women can overcome one non-scorer in the starting five as long as she is delivering something else to the desk. And also Gray is with her playmaking, having right now amounted to 22 aids against only 3 turn overs. Thus, I do not presume trainer Cheryl Reeve needs to make further changes.Photo through Garrett Ellwood/NBAE through Getty ImagesWhat issues carry out the Australians pose, and what might create them a tough matchup?Top stories of the week from Get exclusive accessibility to 1000s of premium articles a year coming from leading authors. u2022 Solak: Appealing NFL QB student course "u2022 MLB: Legendary AL MVP fight, other awards "u2022 25 crucial gamers in CFP nationality" Even more ESPN+ information ".Philippou: WNBA followers will definitely be properly acquainted with this Opals team, which includes the Seat Hurricane's Ezi Magbegor as well as Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Stimulates' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Baggage Melbourne and Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus Nyc Right train Sandy Brondello responsible. Certainly not simply do the Opals have the skill to compete against Staff United States. They possess momentum and fix observing their frustrating start to the Olympics. Brondello has been satisfied with her team's grace as well as grit over the past full week, pair of top qualities a rival requires when encountering the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced assault includes five players averaging at least 8.0 PPG, can easily harm adversaries inside along with Magbegor as well as Smith but also coming from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the best in the Olympic industry as well as considerably greater than Group USA's tiny 30.8%. Whitcomb as well as Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while with the Sin City Aces, lead the team along with eight and seven treys, respectively.Pelton: On paper, Australia is much deeper and even more accomplished than any staff in the field save for the U.S. girls. Our company may dispute the most ideal international player at the Paris Video Games, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) as well as Satou Sabally (Germany) as powerful applicants. However no team has a set of gamers just as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and Smith, both of whom would have performed my WNBA Dream team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was certainly not called to the staff this season even with comparable development.) And also no staff outside the united state has nearly as a lot WNBA knowledge throughout its roster.Given everything talent, it was shocking when Australia dropped its position video game to Nigeria then barely beat winless Canada. In their previous pair of activities, our experts have actually observed the Opals our experts counted on, as they trump surpassed France to develop to the knockout stage and led Serbia through as a lot of as 28 in an uneven quarterfinal victory.A' Ja meals to Stewie for three. LeBron approves. USA System and Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can easily anybody quit Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. However if anybody is heading to contain them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor as well as Johnson. Australia's article gamers position 2nd (Magbegor, 2.4) and fourth (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every game and possess the mobility to defend Stewart and also Wilson on the boundary. Magbegor is specifically experienced versus each opponents, having experienced Stewart virtual for 3 years as Storm teammates and compared along with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The most significant barrier for Magbegor and Smith is actually filthy difficulty. Magbegor picked up 3 first-half fouls versus Canada, and also Johnson had two in the first fourth versus France, limiting their moments. Backup George is a hard, trained player (she racked up 18 points in 24 minutes against Serbia) however no place near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton raises an authentic issue. However given the encounter Stewart as well as Wilson have at this stage-- Stewart is actually selecting her 3rd Olympic gold and Wilson her second, while Magbegor as well as Johnson are actually seeming in their initial Video games-- I will count on the Staff United States extremely duo to make the winning participates in important in such a stressful circumstance to advance to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France as well as Belgium would be a more durable rival for Group USA?Pelton: I'm selecting Belgium, which provided the USA ladies their most difficult Olympic examination yet. The Americans dominated through thirteen factors, although the margin was only 7 entering into the fourth one-fourth of a team stage video game played in Lille, France, near the edge with Belgium. All this in spite of Belgium going simply 5-of-27 in 3-point capturing, with Julie Vanloo particularly struggling coming from downtown while missing 10 of her 11 efforts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 coming from 3, racking up thirteen points along with 7 helps (albeit along with nine turn overs) as Belgium cruised past Spain, the only other group besides the U.S. that was unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the lot nation with the group on its own side and also loads of take pride in vulnerable, a difficult protective crew in France definitely would not be a piece of cake, either, specifically if Marine Johannes can easily blow up like she carried out versus Germany along with 24 factors off the seat and with Gabby Williams breaking the ice on each ends.Has Team United States played its own greatest baseball yet?Philippou: In-game uniformity, particularly on offense, can still be actually a concern. There are times when the shortage of participating in time with each other or Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is still noticeable. It goes without saying, there is actually a reason that Sue Bird recently stated on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that United States Basketball is actually the absolute most annoying basketball she has ever before played. After a little a slow-moving start, the united state eventually led by 30 in the 3rd fourth versus Nigeria, however Reeve couldn't have enjoyed just how her crew made it possible for the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point game prior to the last buzzer. Through 4 activities, the Americans' lack of 3-point shooting hasn't actually been fixed, which might be a concern if enemies get hot coming from deep.Team U.S.A. can't overlook any one of the remaining staffs in the business, but along with a protective identification and also offensive prowess led through Stewart as well as Wilson, it has actually shown it may put games away when it needs to, one thing that must transmit over right into the final 2 games.Pelton: On the other side, I think the capturing is actually also factor to think there's an additional gear for the united state ladies. Jointly, the 12 gamers on the lineup have actually integrated to shoot thirty three% on 3-point attempts in the WNBA this season. That will not make a "Dash Siblings" label whenever soon, but it's also much better than Team USA has managed from the briefer 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are outstanding to warm up from lengthy array. Look out if they finally perform.