.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers girls's college baseball as well as the WNBA.Previously covered UConn and also the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate as well as Baltimore indigenous with more experience at the Dallas Early Morning Updates, Seattle Moments as well as Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Elder Article Writer Co-author, Pro Baseball Program collection.Formerly a professional along with the Indiana Pacers.Developed WARP ranking and also SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo worldwide opponents will certainly reunite on Friday, as the United States girls's baseball staff confronts the Australian Opals with an area in the 2024 Paris Gamings' gold award suit on the line.Team USA, which is riding a streak of 59 successive Olympic success, advanced to the semifinals along with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Complying with an upset loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung all together three straight victories, consisting of Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal selection over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the united state females have actually been actually the gold specification for baseball around the planet, winning 7 successive Olympic gold awards and 9 general, Australia has been actually a historic powerhouse along with all of them. The Opals have medaled in 5 of the past 7 Summertimes Video games, taking home 3 silvers and 2 bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris denotes the first time they have actually developed past the quarterfinals due to the fact that the 2012 London Games.2012 also was the final opportunity the famous Lauren Jackson suited up on the Olympic stage for the environment-friendly and also gold-- previously. While Group United States possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, showing up in her 5th Video games as well as initially in 12 years. Jackson has actually constantly medaled in the competitors, and though she has actually found limited action so far in France, she possesses an opportunity to continue that touch this weekend.Australia-- which flaunts 6 energetic WNBA players-- has lots of momentum, yet the Opals are 0-20 all time versus the U.S. senior nationwide staff, consisting of 0-8 in Olympic competitors. Throughout the 5 Games in which they medaled, Australia lost to the united state either in the semifinals or the gold award competition. The teams final fulfilled in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and also Kevin Pelton break down a few of the pressing questions heading in to the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit reports Jackie Young for jump-starting Crew USABreanna Stewart speaks with Brian Windhorst after Team United States's 14-point get Nigeria to progress to the semifinals.Team U.S.A. switched over up its starting 5 versus Nigeria, along with Jackie Youthful in place of Diana Taurasi. Carried out the move fix its issues in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Youthful instead of Taurasi-- who possessed last go over the bench at the Olympics in 2004-- was the right action. Along with 15 factors versus Nigeria, Young seems taking a function as Team USA's 3rd marker behind A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. (Definitely, Youthful is the only various other U.S. gamer averaging dual designs at 10.3 points per game.) Youthful, among three Las Vegas Aces gamers in the starting 5, displayed her 3-point capturing earlier versus Germany, going 5-of-8. But while she went scoreless from deep-seated on Wednesday, it was her capacity to acquire downhill and hit coming from midrange that stood apart, in addition to her trademark defense in the backcourt. It took till the middle of the second quarter for the USA to really place its foot on the gas against Nigeria, but Young's hostility and electricity on both ends should continue to pay dividends. And Taurasi seemed to accomplish well off the bench, where she improved as a facilitator with 4 assists.Pelton: I 'd enjoy to view starting point guard Chelsea Gray be a hazard to score. She skipped all 3 of her go efforts in the quarterfinals, delivering Gray to 1-of-13 up until now during the course of the Olympics. Amazingly, the united state outscored Nigeria through only 2 aspects in Gray's 17:27, while all four other beginners possessed a plus-minus of plus-17 or even better while on the court.Still, as I discussed in our final roundtable, the USA females can easily overcome one non-scorer in the starting 5 so long as she is delivering another thing to the desk. And Gray is with her playmaking, having actually now amounted to 22 helps versus merely 3 turnovers. Thus, I don't assume instructor Cheryl Reeve requires to make additional changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE through Getty ImagesWhat concerns do the Australians position, and also what could possibly make them a tough matchup?Top stories of the week from Acquire unique accessibility to thousands of costs posts a year coming from top writers. u2022 Solak: Fascinating NFL QB sophomore course "u2022 MLB: Legendary AL MVP battle, various other honors "u2022 25 most important players in CFP race" Additional ESPN+ web content ".Philippou: WNBA enthusiasts will be actually properly aware of this Opals squad, which includes the Seat Hurricane's Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Smith, Los Angeles Triggers' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne as well as Indiana High temperature's Kristy Wallace, plus New york city Liberty train Sandy Brondello responsible. Certainly not merely carry out the Opals have the talent to contend against Group USA. They have drive and fix following their frustrating begin to the Olympics. Brondello has actually been actually pleased with her team's grace and grit over the past full week, two premiums a challenger needs to have when dealing with the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced attack includes 5 gamers balancing a minimum of 8.0 PPG, can injure adversaries inside along with Magbegor as well as Smith yet likewise coming from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the greatest in the Olympic industry and also much greater than Group U.S.A.'s puny 30.8%. Whitcomb as well as Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while along with the Sin City Aces, lead the crew with 8 and 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: Abstractly, Australia is actually much deeper and also a lot more talented than any sort of group in the business save for the U.S. women. Our experts may dispute the most ideal worldwide gamer at the Paris Gamings, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and also Satou Sabally (Germany) as powerful applicants. But no crew possesses a pair of gamers like the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and also Smith, each of whom would possess performed my WNBA Dream team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was not named to the group this period in spite of comparable development.) And no group outside the united state has virtually as a lot WNBA expertise throughout its roster.Given the only thing that talent, it was surprising when Australia shed its position video game to Nigeria after that barely beat winless Canada. In their previous 2 activities, our experts have actually found the Opals our experts anticipated, as they trump exceeded France to develop to the knockout phase and led Serbia through as several as 28 in an askew quarterfinal victory.A' Ja meals to Stewie for three. LeBron permits. U.S.A. System and Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 May any person cease Breanna Stewart and also A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. Yet if any person is actually going to contain all of them, it's the duo of Magbegor and also Smith. Australia's post players place second (Magbegor, 2.4) and 4th (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks per video game and also possess the range of motion to stand up for Stewart and also Wilson on the perimeter. Magbegor is particularly experienced against both challengers, having encountered Stewart virtual for 3 years as Tornado allies as well as compared with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The largest obstacle for Magbegor and Smith is foul difficulty. Magbegor grabbed three first-half fouls versus Canada, as well as Johnson possessed pair of in the 1st one-fourth versus France, confining their moments. Data backup George is a hard, trained gamer (she racked up 18 points in 24 mins against Serbia) but nowhere near as sports on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up an authentic worry. However provided the encounter Stewart and Wilson contend this stage-- Stewart is choosing her third Olympic gold as well as Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor as well as Smith are actually seeming in their initial Gamings-- I would certainly anticipate the Group United States very duo to produce the winning participates in necessary in such a stressful situation to breakthrough to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and Belgium would be a tougher challenger for Team USA?Pelton: I am actually picking Belgium, which gave the U.S. girls their most difficult Olympic examination but. The Americans prevailed by thirteen points, although the frame was actually merely seven entering into the 4th quarter of a group phase activity played in Lille, France, near the perimeter with Belgium. All this even with Belgium going only 5-of-27 in 3-point firing, with Julie Vanloo particularly straining coming from downtown while skipping 10 of her 11 tries. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 from 3, scoring 13 factors along with 7 assists (albeit along with nine turn overs) as Belgium travelled previous Spain, the only various other staff besides the U.S. that was actually unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the bunch country along with the crowd on its own edge and also lots of honor on the line, a difficult protective staff in France wouldn't be actually a pushover, either, especially if Marine Johannes can easily go off like she carried out against Germany with 24 points off the seat and with Gabby Williams leading the way on each ends.Has Group USA played its ideal baseball yet?Philippou: In-game consistency, particularly on offense, may still be actually an issue. There are actually opportunities when the lack of participating in opportunity with each other or Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is still evident. It goes without saying, there is actually a main reason why Sue Bird just recently claimed on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that USA Basketball is actually one of the most awkward basketball she has actually ever participated in. After a bit of a slow-moving begin, the USA eventually led by 30 in the third quarter versus Nigeria, but Reeve couldn't have actually really loved how her group made it possible for the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point game prior to the ultimate buzzer. Through four games, the Americans' absence of 3-point shooting have not really been solved, which may be a problem if rivals fume coming from deep.Team USA can not disregard any of the remaining groups in the field, however with a defensive identity as well as aggressive adeptness led by Stewart and Wilson, it has actually shown it may put video games away when it requires to, something that must transfer over into the final 2 games.Pelton: On the other side, I assume the capturing is actually likewise main reason to strongly believe there is actually an additional gear for the united state girls. Collectively, the 12 players on the lineup have actually combined to fire thirty three% on 3-point tries in the WNBA this time. That won't gain a "Splash Sis" nickname any time quickly, yet it's additionally far better than Team United States has taken care of from the shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) as well as Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually outstanding to heat up from long variety. Watch out if they eventually carry out.