.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers girls's college baseball and also the WNBA.Formerly dealt with UConn and also the WNBA Connecticut Sunlight for the Hartford Courant.Stanford grad as well as Baltimore indigenous along with more encounter at the Dallas Morning Updates, Seat Moments and also Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Author Co-author, Pro Baseball Prospectus collection.In the past a professional with the Indiana Pacers.Built WARP rating and SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo international rivals are going to meet again on Friday, as the United States ladies's baseball crew goes up against the Australian Opals with a spot in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold award suit on the line.Team U.S.A., which is actually riding a streak of 59 successive Olympic success, advanced to the semifinals with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Adhering to a dismayed loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung all together 3 straight triumphes, consisting of Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal decision over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the united state females have been the gold requirement for baseball all over the planet, gaining 7 consecutive Olympic gold awards as well as 9 overall, Australia has actually been actually a historic goliath along with them. The Opals have actually medaled in five of recent seven Summer Video games, take away 3 silvers and also 2 bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris notes the first time they have actually advanced past the quarterfinals due to the fact that the 2012 London Video games.2012 also was actually the final time the epic Lauren Jackson dressed on the Olympic phase for the green and gold-- until now. While Staff United States possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, showing up in her 5th Gamings and initially in 12 years. Jackson has always medaled in the competitors, and also though she has actually viewed minimal action until now in France, she possesses a possibility to carry on that streak this weekend.Australia-- which boasts six active WNBA gamers-- has loads of momentum, yet the Opals are 0-20 perpetuity versus the U.S. elderly nationwide group, featuring 0-8 in Olympic competitors. Throughout the five Gamings in which they medaled, Australia dropped to the united state either in the semifinals or the gold award contest. The teams final complied with in 2020, when the Americans prevailed 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and also Kevin Pelton break a number of the pressing concerns moving into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit scores Jackie Young for jump-starting Team USABreanna Stewart speaks with Brian Windhorst after Crew USA's 14-point get Nigeria to progress to the semifinals.Team United States changed up its starting 5 against Nigeria, along with Jackie Young instead of Diana Taurasi. Did the relocation correct its own problems in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Youthful instead of Taurasi-- who possessed final come off the bench at the Olympics in 2004-- was the ideal step. With 15 aspects versus Nigeria, Youthful looks taking a role as Team United States's third scorer behind A'ja Wilson as well as Breanna Stewart. (Certainly, Young is the simply various other USA gamer averaging double figures at 10.3 points every game.) Young, one of 3 Sin city Aces players in the beginning five, displayed her 3-point capturing earlier versus Germany, going 5-of-8. Yet while she went scoreless coming from deeper on Wednesday, it was her potential to obtain downhill as well as hit from midrange that stood out, alongside her hallmark self defense in the backcourt. It took until the middle of the second one-fourth for the united state to really place its foot on the gasoline against Nigeria, but Youthful's aggression and also power on both ends must remain to return. And Taurasi seemed to perform properly off the bench, where she improved as a company with four assists.Pelton: I will like to see starting point guard Chelsea Gray be a threat to credit rating. She overlooked all 3 of her shot efforts in the quarterfinals, delivering Gray to 1-of-13 up until now during the course of the Olympics. Remarkably, the U.S. outscored Nigeria through only 2 points in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 other beginners possessed a plus-minus of plus-17 or far better while on the court.Still, as I stated in our last roundtable, the U.S. ladies can beat one non-scorer in the beginning five so long as she is delivering something else to the desk. As well as Gray is actually with her playmaking, having actually right now totted 22 assists versus just 3 turn overs. Therefore, I don't assume train Cheryl Reeve needs to create more changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE through Getty ImagesWhat problems carry out the Australians position, as well as what could possibly create them a hard matchup?Top stories of the week coming from Get special accessibility to 1000s of costs short articles a year from top authors. u2022 Solak: Fascinating NFL QB student course "u2022 MLB: Epic AL MVP struggle, various other honors "u2022 25 crucial gamers in CFP ethnicity" Additional ESPN+ information ".Philippou: WNBA fans will definitely be well aware of this Opals squad, which includes the Seattle Tornado's Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Smith, Los Angeles Stimulates' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne as well as Indiana High temperature's Kristy Wallace, plus New york city Right coach Sandy Brondello responsible. Not just perform the Opals have the ability to compete versus Team United States. They possess momentum and also resolve following their unsatisfactory beginning to the Olympics. Brondello has actually been pleased with her staff's poise as well as guts over the past week, pair of top qualities an opponent needs to have when facing the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced attack includes five players averaging at least 8.0 PPG, can harm enemies inside along with Magbegor as well as Smith yet also coming from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the most effective in the Olympic field and also considerably higher than Staff U.S.A.'s tiny 30.8%. Whitcomb as well as Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while along with the Las Vegas Aces, lead the team with 8 and also seven treys, respectively.Pelton: On paper, Australia is deeper and also even more skilled than any staff in the field barring the united state females. Our experts may debate the very best global gamer at the Paris Gamings, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and also Satou Sabally (Germany) as sturdy candidates. Yet no crew possesses a set of players like the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and Smith, both of whom would possess gotten on my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was certainly not named to the staff this period despite comparable creation.) And no crew outside the united state has nearly as a lot WNBA experience throughout its roster.Given the only thing that talent, it was stunning when Australia dropped its own position game to Nigeria after that scarcely defeat winless Canada. In their previous two games, our team have actually found the Opals our team anticipated, as they trump topped France to develop to the knockout phase as well as led Serbia through as numerous as 28 in an unbalanced quarterfinal victory.A' Ja foods to Stewie for 3. LeBron approves. United States System and also Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 May any person quit Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. Yet if anyone is heading to have them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor and Smith. Australia's message gamers place 2nd (Magbegor, 2.4) and fourth (Johnson, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks per video game and also have the wheelchair to stand up for Stewart and Wilson on the perimeter. Magbegor is actually particularly experienced against both challengers, having actually faced Stewart virtual for three years as Storm colleagues and paired up with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The biggest challenge for Magbegor and Smith is repulsive problem. Magbegor picked up 3 first-half fouls against Canada, and Johnson had pair of in the 1st fourth versus France, restricting their mins. Back-up George is actually a tough, proficient gamer (she racked up 18 factors in 24 mins against Serbia) however no place near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up a valid worry. However given the encounter Stewart and also Wilson have at this stage-- Stewart is going for her third Olympic gold and also Wilson her second, while Magbegor and Smith are looking in their initial Video games-- I would certainly count on the Team United States super duo to create the winning plays necessary in such a high-pressure circumstance to development to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and also Belgium would be actually a more durable enemy for Crew USA?Pelton: I am actually opting for Belgium, which gave the united state women their toughest Olympic test but. The Americans dominated by 13 factors, although the frame was actually only 7 entering into the fourth quarter of a team phase game played in Lille, France, near the perimeter along with Belgium. All this in spite of Belgium going merely 5-of-27 in 3-point shooting, along with Julie Vanloo particularly battling from downtown while missing 10 of her 11 attempts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point guard went 3-of-5 from 3, scoring 13 points along with 7 supports (albeit with 9 turnovers) as Belgium cruised past Spain, the only other crew besides the united state that was actually unbeaten in pool play.Philippou: As the lot nation with the group on its edge and lots of satisfaction on the line, a complicated protective staff in France definitely would not be a piece of cake, either, particularly if Marine Johannes can go off like she did against Germany along with 24 factors off the seat as well as with Gabby Williams breaking the ice on both ends.Has Crew USA played its absolute best baseball yet?Philippou: In-game uniformity, especially on outburst, can easily still be a concern. There are opportunities when the shortage of playing opportunity all together or even Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is still obvious. Besides, there's a reason Sue Bird lately claimed on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that USA Baseball is one of the most awkward baseball she has actually ever before played. After a little a slow-moving begin, the united state inevitably led through 30 in the third one-fourth against Nigeria, but Reeve could not have really loved just how her group permitted the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point activity prior to the ultimate buzzer. With 4 video games, the Americans' shortage of 3-point shooting hasn't really been treated, which could be a concern if opponents fume from deep.Team USA can not disregard some of the remaining teams in the business, but along with a protective identification and aggressive adeptness led through Stewart as well as Wilson, it has actually shown it may place activities away when it needs to have to, something that ought to transfer over right into the final 2 games.Pelton: On the other side, I assume the firing is likewise reason to think there is actually one more gear for the united state women. Jointly, the 12 gamers on the lineup have mixed to fire thirty three% on 3-point attempts in the WNBA this period. That will not get a "Sprinkle Sisters" label whenever soon, but it's likewise better than Staff USA has actually dealt with coming from the shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) as well as Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are overdue to heat coming from long array. Watch out if they eventually perform.