.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers women's university baseball as well as the WNBA.Formerly covered UConn and also the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate as well as Baltimore indigenous along with additional experience at the Dallas Early Morning Headlines, Seattle Times and Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Writer Co-author, Pro Baseball Program set.Formerly a consultant along with the Indiana Pacers.Developed WARP score and SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo global rivals will reunite on Friday, as the USA females's baseball team takes on the Australian Opals along with a location in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold award match on the line.Team U.S.A., which is actually riding a streak of 59 consecutive Olympic victories, developed to the semifinals along with an 88-74 overcome Nigeria on Wednesday. Adhering to an upset loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung all together three straight success, consisting of Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal choice over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the united state women have been the gold criterion for basketball all over the globe, succeeding 7 consecutive Olympic gold awards and nine total, Australia has actually been a famous powerhouse together with all of them. The Opals have medaled in five of the past seven Summer Games, taking home 3 silvers and also pair of bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris marks the very first time they've advanced past the quarterfinals since the 2012 London Games.2012 additionally was the last time the famous Lauren Jackson suited up on the Olympic stage for the eco-friendly as well as gold-- previously. While Group U.S.A. has 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals have Jackson, 43, seeming in her fifth Games as well as to begin with in 12 years. Jackson has always medaled in the competitors, and though she has actually found minimal action thus far in France, she possesses a chance to proceed that touch this weekend.Australia-- which flaunts six active WNBA gamers-- has lots of energy, however the Opals are actually 0-20 all time against the U.S. elderly national staff, consisting of 0-8 in Olympic competitors. Throughout the 5 Games through which they medaled, Australia dropped to the united state either in the semifinals or even the gold award contest. The squads last complied with in 2020, when the Americans prevailed 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou as well as Kevin Pelton break down some of journalism inquiries heading in to the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit scores Jackie Youthful for jump-starting Team USABreanna Stewart chats with Brian Windhorst after Group U.S.A.'s 14-point win over Nigeria to accelerate to the semifinals.Team U.S.A. switched over up its own starting five against Nigeria, with Jackie Youthful in place of Diana Taurasi. Performed the step fix its own problems in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Youthful in place of Taurasi-- who possessed final go over the bench at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the correct relocation. Along with 15 points against Nigeria, Youthful seems carving out a job as Group USA's 3rd marker behind A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. (Without A Doubt, Youthful is actually the only various other U.S. gamer averaging dual figures at 10.3 points per video game.) Youthful, among three Sin city Aces players in the starting 5, exhibited her 3-point shooting earlier versus Germany, going 5-of-8. However while she went scoreless coming from deep on Wednesday, it was her capacity to obtain downhill and attack coming from midrange that attracted attention, alongside her trademark self defense in the backcourt. It took up until the middle of the 2nd fourth for the U.S. to actually place its own feet on the fuel versus Nigeria, yet Youthful's aggressiveness and energy on each ends must continue to pay dividends. As well as Taurasi seemed to do properly off the seat, where she improved as a company with four assists.Pelton: I will really love to view starting point player Chelsea Gray be a hazard to score. She missed out on all three of her go attempts in the quarterfinals, bringing Gray to 1-of-13 up until now during the course of the Olympics. Remarkably, the USA outscored Nigeria by simply pair of points in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 other beginners possessed a plus-minus of plus-17 or better while on the court.Still, as I stated in our final roundtable, the USA girls can easily overcome one non-scorer in the starting 5 as long as she is actually carrying another thing to the table. And Gray is actually with her playmaking, having today completed 22 assists versus just three turnovers. So, I don't believe train Cheryl Reeve needs to have to create additional changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE through Getty ImagesWhat concerns carry out the Australians posture, as well as what could possibly make all of them a challenging matchup?Top tales of the week coming from Obtain special accessibility to countless costs articles a year coming from top writers. u2022 Solak: Appealing NFL QB sophomore course "u2022 MLB: Epic AL MVP struggle, various other awards "u2022 25 essential players in CFP ethnicity" Even more ESPN+ content ".Philippou: WNBA supporters will be well acquainted with this Opals team, which includes the Seat Storm's Ezi Magbegor and also Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Triggers' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne and also Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus New york city Right coach Sandy Brondello responsible. Certainly not merely carry out the Opals have the skill to complete versus Group USA. They possess momentum as well as fix following their frustrating begin to the Olympics. Brondello has actually been pleased along with her group's poise as well as guts over the past week, 2 top qualities a rival needs to have when encountering the Americans.The Opals, whose balanced assault flaunts 5 gamers averaging a minimum of 8.0 PPG, can easily injure enemies inside along with Magbegor as well as Johnson however also coming from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the most ideal in the Olympic field and considerably more than Group United States's paltry 30.8%. Whitcomb and Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while along with the Sin City Aces, lead the group along with eight and also 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: Abstractly, Australia is actually much deeper as well as more proficient than any staff in the field except for the U.S. ladies. Our experts can easily question the very best global player at the Paris Games, with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) as well as Satou Sabally (Germany) as powerful candidates. However no group has a set of gamers just as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and Johnson, 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 group this time even with similar manufacturing.) As well as no group outside the united state has almost as much WNBA experience throughout its own roster.Given the only thing that talent, it was surprising when Australia lost its position video game to Nigeria after that hardly trump winless Canada. In their previous pair of games, our experts have actually observed the Opals our team anticipated, as they beat surpassed France to develop to the knockout stage as well as led Serbia by as lots of as 28 in an unbalanced quarterfinal victory.A' Ja foods to Stewie for 3. LeBron authorizes. United States System and also Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can easily anybody cease Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. Yet if any person is mosting likely to include all of them, it's the duo of Magbegor as well as Smith. Australia's post gamers place second (Magbegor, 2.4) as well as 4th (Johnson, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every activity and also possess the wheelchair to defend Stewart as well as Wilson on the perimeter. Magbegor is actually especially experienced versus both rivals, having faced Stewart virtual for 3 years as Tornado colleagues and paired up with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The biggest difficulty for Magbegor and Johnson is actually filthy difficulty. Magbegor picked up three first-half fouls versus Canada, and also Johnson possessed 2 in the very first quarter versus France, limiting their minutes. Backup George is actually a difficult, knowledgeable player (she racked up 18 factors in 24 mins versus Serbia) but nowhere near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton raises a legitimate issue. Yet given the take in Stewart and Wilson contend this stage-- Stewart is going with her third Olympic gold and Wilson her second, while Magbegor and Johnson are seeming in their 1st Games-- I will expect the Crew USA tremendously duo to make the winning plays necessary in such a stressful condition to innovation to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and also Belgium would certainly be a more durable opponent for Team USA?Pelton: I am actually selecting Belgium, which provided the united state ladies their hardest Olympic examination but. The Americans dominated by 13 points, although the margin was just seven entering the fourth quarter of a group phase activity played in Lille, France, near the edge with Belgium. All this regardless of Belgium going simply 5-of-27 in 3-point shooting, with Julie Vanloo especially having a hard time from downtown while skipping 10 of her 11 efforts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point guard went 3-of-5 from 3, scoring 13 points along with seven helps (albeit along with 9 turn overs) as Belgium travelled past Spain, the just other staff besides the U.S. that was actually unbeaten in pool play.Philippou: As the lot nation along with the group on its own edge and also lots of pride vulnerable, a difficult protective crew in France would not be a piece of cake, either, particularly if Marine Johannes may blow up like she carried out against Germany along with 24 factors off the seat and also with Gabby Williams breaking the ice on each ends.Has Staff U.S.A. played its own absolute best basketball yet?Philippou: In-game uniformity, particularly on offense, can still be a concern. There are times when the lack of participating in time with each other or even Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is actually still evident. After all, there is actually a reason that Sue Bird just recently pointed out on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that United States Baseball is the best unpleasant basketball she has ever before participated in. After a bit of a slow-moving beginning, the USA inevitably led through 30 in the 3rd fourth versus Nigeria, however Reeve could not have adored just how her crew allowed the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point video game just before the ultimate buzzer. Through 4 activities, the Americans' absence of 3-point shooting have not actually been actually solved, which may be an issue if enemies get hot from deep.Team USA can't neglect any one of the remaining staffs in the field, however along with a protective identity as well as aggressive expertise led by Stewart as well as Wilson, it has revealed it can place games away when it needs to, one thing that should move over into the ultimate two games.Pelton: On the flip side, I assume the shooting is actually additionally reason to think there is actually an additional equipment for the USA girls. Together, the 12 players on the lineup have actually mixed to shoot thirty three% on 3-point attempts in the WNBA this season. That won't make a "Sprinkle Sisters" label at any time quickly, yet it is actually additionally far better than Staff USA has taken care of from the briefer 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are outstanding to heat up coming from long array. Look out if they ultimately carry out.