.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers girls's college baseball and also the WNBA.Formerly covered UConn and also the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate as well as Baltimore indigenous along with more experience at the Dallas Early Morning Headlines, Seattle Moments and Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Writer Co-author, Pro Baseball Program collection.Previously a consultant along with the Indiana Pacers.Created WARP ranking and SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo global rivals will certainly meet again on Friday, as the USA ladies's baseball crew faces the Australian Opals with an area in the 2024 Paris Games' gold award suit on the line.Team USA, which is using a touch of 59 consecutive Olympic wins, advanced to the semifinals along with an 88-74 overcome Nigeria on Wednesday. Following an upset reduction to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung together three upright success, featuring Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal decision over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the U.S. women have actually been the gold requirement for baseball across the planet, winning 7 successive Olympic gold medals and also 9 general, Australia has actually been actually a historic giant along with them. The Opals have actually medaled in five of recent 7 Summer seasons Video games, take away three silvers as well as 2 bronze, although their semifinal run in Paris marks the very first time they have actually improved past the quarterfinals because the 2012 Greater london Games.2012 additionally was actually the last opportunity the famous Lauren Jackson wore on the Olympic phase for the environment-friendly and also gold-- previously. While Crew United States possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, seeming in her fifth Games as well as initially in 12 years. Jackson has constantly medaled in the competitors, and though she has observed limited action until now in France, she possesses an odds to proceed that streak this weekend.Australia-- which includes 6 energetic WNBA gamers-- has a lot of energy, yet the Opals are 0-20 all time versus the united state elderly national staff, consisting of 0-8 in Olympic competition. During the five Video games through which they medaled, Australia shed to the united state either in the semifinals or even the gold award contest. The teams final satisfied in 2020, when the Americans prevailed 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and also Kevin Pelton break some of the pressing inquiries moving in to the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit reports Jackie Youthful for jump-starting Group USABreanna Stewart chats with Brian Windhorst after Staff U.S.A.'s 14-point gain Nigeria to advance to the semifinals.Team USA switched up its starting five against Nigeria, along with Jackie Young in place of Diana Taurasi. Did the technique repair its own problems in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Young in place of Taurasi-- that possessed last come off the bench at the Olympics in 2004-- was the correct relocation. With 15 points against Nigeria, Youthful appears to be carving out a part as Crew USA's third scorer behind A'ja Wilson as well as Breanna Stewart. (Undoubtedly, Youthful is actually the just various other U.S. player averaging double figures at 10.3 points per video game.) Youthful, some of three Sin city Aces gamers in the starting five, exhibited her 3-point firing earlier versus Germany, going 5-of-8. However while she went scoreless coming from deeper on Wednesday, it was her ability to get downhill as well as hit from midrange that stuck out, in addition to her hallmark defense in the backcourt. It took until the center of the second one-fourth for the U.S. to definitely place its own feet on the gas versus Nigeria, but Young's hostility and energy on each ends need to continue to pay dividends. As well as Taurasi appeared to accomplish effectively off the bench, where she improved as a company with 4 assists.Pelton: I will like to observe beginning point guard Chelsea Gray be actually a danger to score. She missed out on all 3 of her go attempts in the quarterfinals, taking Gray to 1-of-13 thus far during the course of the Olympics. Amazingly, the USA outscored Nigeria by simply two aspects in Gray's 17:27, while all four various other beginners had a plus-minus of plus-17 or much better while on the court.Still, as I stated in our last roundtable, the U.S. women may beat one non-scorer in the beginning 5 such a long time as she is actually bringing another thing to the desk. And Gray is actually with her playmaking, having actually right now totted 22 helps versus simply three turnovers. So, I do not presume instructor Cheryl Reeve requires to make additional changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE by means of Getty ImagesWhat problems carry out the Australians position, and also what might create all of them a hard matchup?Top tales of the full week coming from Obtain exclusive access to lots of fee write-ups a year from top article writers. u2022 Solak: Appealing NFL QB student class "u2022 MLB: Impressive AL MVP war, other honors "u2022 25 crucial players in CFP race" Additional ESPN+ content ".Philippou: WNBA followers will be well familiar with this Opals team, which features the Seat Hurricane's Ezi Magbegor as well as Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Stimulates' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne as well as Indiana High temperature's Kristy Wallace, plus New York Right instructor Sandy Brondello at the helm. Certainly not merely perform the Opals possess the talent to contend against Crew United States. They have drive and resolve observing their unsatisfactory beginning to the Olympics. Brondello has actually been actually pleased with her staff's poise as well as guts over the past week, 2 qualities a rival needs when facing the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced attack includes 5 gamers balancing a minimum of 8.0 PPG, may harm opponents inside along with Magbegor and Johnson however additionally from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the most effective in the Olympic area and much higher than Crew USA's modest 30.8%. Whitcomb and Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while with the Sin City Aces, lead the staff with 8 as well as 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: On paper, Australia is actually deeper as well as much more proficient than any sort of staff in the field barring the USA girls. Our team can question the most ideal worldwide player at the Paris Video Games, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and also Satou Sabally (Germany) as tough candidates. But no team possesses a pair of gamers as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor as well as Smith, both of whom would certainly possess been on my WNBA Dream team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was certainly not called to the staff this time despite comparable production.) And no group outside the united state possesses nearly as a lot WNBA adventure throughout its roster.Given the only thing that skill, it was actually astonishing when Australia shed its own position game to Nigeria then scarcely defeat winless Canada. In their previous two games, we have actually observed the Opals our experts anticipated, as they defeat topped France to advance to the knockout phase as well as led Serbia by as several as 28 in an unequal quarterfinal victory.A' Ja recipes to Stewie for 3. LeBron permits. U.S.A. Network as well as Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can easily any individual cease Breanna Stewart as well as A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. Yet if anybody is visiting include them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor as well as Johnson. Australia's article gamers rank 2nd (Magbegor, 2.4) and fourth (Johnson, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every activity as well as possess the movement to stand up for Stewart as well as Wilson on the boundary. Magbegor is particularly experienced versus each opponents, having actually dealt with Stewart in practice for three years as Hurricane colleagues and paired up along with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The most significant barrier for Magbegor and Johnson is repulsive issue. Magbegor picked up three first-half fouls versus Canada, and also Johnson had two in the 1st one-fourth versus France, confining their minutes. Back-up George is actually a tough, trained player (she racked up 18 points in 24 mins against Serbia) but no place near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up an authentic problem. Yet given the encounter Stewart and Wilson have at this phase-- Stewart is opting for her 3rd Olympic gold and also Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor and also Johnson are looking in their first Games-- I will expect the Team United States very duo to make the winning plays required in such a high-pressure scenario to development to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and Belgium would be a tougher enemy for Crew USA?Pelton: I'm selecting Belgium, which gave the united state ladies their hardest Olympic exam yet. The Americans prevailed by thirteen factors, although the margin was actually only 7 going into the fourth one-fourth of a team phase game played in Lille, France, near the perimeter with Belgium. All this in spite of Belgium going simply 5-of-27 in 3-point firing, along with Julie Vanloo especially struggling coming from downtown while overlooking 10 of her 11 tries. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 coming from 3, racking up 13 points along with seven helps (albeit along with 9 turnovers) as Belgium travelled past Spain, the simply other team besides the USA that was actually unbeaten in pool play.Philippou: As the bunch nation along with the group on its own edge and also a lot of take pride in on the line, a complicated protective team in France would not be a piece of cake, either, specifically if Marine Johannes may blow up like she carried out versus Germany with 24 points off the bench as well as along with Gabby Williams breaking the ice on both ends.Has Team USA played its best baseball yet?Philippou: In-game consistency, particularly on outburst, can still be actually a concern. There are times when the shortage of participating in opportunity with each other or even Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is actually still noticeable. It goes without saying, there's a main reason why Sue Bird just recently mentioned on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that USA Basketball is the most annoying baseball she has actually ever played. After a little bit of a slow-moving begin, the USA at some point led through 30 in the third quarter versus Nigeria, yet Reeve could not have actually enjoyed how her team enabled the D'Tigress to make it a 14-point activity just before the final buzzer. Through 4 games, the Americans' lack of 3-point firing have not definitely been solved, which can be a concern if rivals fume from deep.Team USA can not forget some of the staying staffs in the field, however with a protective identification and also offensive prowess led through Stewart as well as Wilson, it has shown it can easily place games away when it needs to, something that should transmit over right into the last 2 games.Pelton: On the other side, I presume the capturing is additionally cause to think there's one more gear for the U.S. women. Collectively, the 12 players on the roster have integrated to fire 33% on 3-point efforts in the WNBA this season. That won't earn a "Sprinkle Sisters" nickname at any time very soon, but it's additionally far better than Staff U.S.A. has dealt with coming from the shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and also Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are past due to warm up coming from lengthy range. Look out if they lastly perform.