.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers females's college baseball and the WNBA.Earlier dealt with UConn and the WNBA Connecticut Sunshine for the Hartford Courant.Stanford grad and Baltimore native along with further take in at the Dallas Early Morning News, Seattle Moments as well as Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Elderly Person Writer Co-author, Pro Baseball Program series.Formerly a professional with the Indiana Pacers.Developed WARP ranking and SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo worldwide rivals will definitely reunite on Friday, as the USA females's baseball group faces the Australian Opals along with a spot in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold medal suit on the line.Team United States, which is actually riding a touch of 59 successive Olympic success, advanced to the semifinals along with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Observing a distressed reduction to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung together 3 upright victories, featuring Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal choice over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the U.S. ladies have been the gold standard for baseball all over the planet, gaining 7 consecutive Olympic gold medals and nine general, Australia has been a historic giant along with them. The Opals have medaled in 5 of recent 7 Summer Gamings, take away three silvers and 2 bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris denotes the first time they have actually advanced past the quarterfinals considering that the 2012 London Video games.2012 likewise was actually the last time the fabulous Lauren Jackson dressed on the Olympic stage for the green and gold-- previously. While Crew United States has 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals have Jackson, 43, seeming in her fifth Gamings and also first in 12 years. Jackson has regularly medaled in the competitors, and also though she has seen restricted activity up until now in France, she possesses a possibility to continue that streak this weekend.Australia-- which boasts six energetic WNBA players-- has loads of energy, yet the Opals are 0-20 all time against the USA senior national team, including 0-8 in Olympic competitors. In the course of the 5 Games in which they medaled, Australia dropped to the USA either in the semifinals or the gold medal competition. The teams final fulfilled in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou as well as Kevin Pelton break a few of the pressing questions heading into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit histories Jackie Young for jump-starting Group USABreanna Stewart chats along with Brian Windhorst after Crew USA's 14-point gain Nigeria to evolve to the semifinals.Team United States shifted up its starting five versus Nigeria, with Jackie Youthful instead of Diana Taurasi. Did the technique fix its problems in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Young in place of Taurasi-- who possessed last go over the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the appropriate action. With 15 aspects against Nigeria, Youthful looks taking a duty as Staff USA's 3rd marker behind A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. (Indeed, Young is the just other USA gamer balancing dual designs at 10.3 factors every video game.) Young, one of three Sin city Aces gamers in the beginning five, displayed her 3-point firing earlier versus Germany, going 5-of-8. Yet while she went scoreless coming from deep-seated on Wednesday, it was her ability to obtain downhill and also hit from midrange that stood apart, in addition to her trademark defense in the backcourt. It took till the middle of the second one-fourth for the united state to actually place its own foot on the gasoline versus Nigeria, however Young's aggression and electricity on each ends need to continue to return. As well as Taurasi seemed to perform well off the seat, where she boosted as a facilitator along with four assists.Pelton: I will really love to observe beginning point player Chelsea Gray be a threat to rating. She skipped all three of her chance efforts in the quarterfinals, bringing Gray to 1-of-13 so far throughout the Olympics. Extremely, the U.S. outscored Nigeria through only 2 points in Gray's 17:27, while all four other beginners possessed a plus-minus of plus-17 or better while on the court.Still, as I pointed out in our final roundtable, the USA girls can easily overcome one non-scorer in the starting five such a long time as she is actually delivering something else to the desk. And also Gray is along with her playmaking, having today totaled 22 assists versus merely three turnovers. Therefore, I do not presume train Cheryl Reeve requires to make additional changes.Photo through Garrett Ellwood/NBAE using Getty ImagesWhat troubles do the Australians position, as well as what could create them a hard matchup?Top accounts of the week from Obtain exclusive accessibility to hundreds of fee articles a year from best authors. u2022 Solak: Intriguing NFL QB sophomore lesson "u2022 MLB: Legendary AL MVP war, other awards "u2022 25 crucial players in CFP ethnicity" More ESPN+ material ".Philippou: WNBA supporters will certainly be well acquainted with this Opals squad, which features the Seat Tornado's Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Sparks' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne as well as Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus New York Liberty train Sandy Brondello at the helm. Certainly not only carry out the Opals possess the ability to compete against Staff U.S.A.. They have drive and resolve observing their unsatisfying begin to the Olympics. Brondello has been pleased along with her staff's poise and also guts over recent week, two qualities an enemy needs to have when experiencing the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced strike boasts 5 gamers balancing a minimum of 8.0 PPG, may harm adversaries inside with Magbegor as well as Smith however likewise from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is the best in the Olympic industry as well as a lot greater than Crew U.S.A.'s paltry 30.8%. Whitcomb and Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champ while along with the Las Vegas Aces, lead the crew with 8 as well as seven treys, respectively.Pelton: Abstractly, Australia is much deeper and also even more gifted than any sort of crew in the field except for the USA ladies. Our team can dispute the most ideal global gamer at the Paris Gamings, with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and also Satou Sabally (Germany) as powerful applicants. However no team has a set of players just as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor as well as Smith, both of whom would certainly possess been on my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was not named to the team this period in spite of similar development.) And no group outside the united state has virtually as much WNBA knowledge throughout its roster.Given the only thing that talent, it was shocking when Australia lost its position game to Nigeria at that point barely defeat winless Canada. In their past pair of games, our experts've observed the Opals we counted on, as they defeat bested France to advance to the knockout stage and led Serbia by as several as 28 in an unequal quarterfinal victory.A' Ja meals to Stewie for 3. LeBron permits. USA System as well as Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 May anybody stop Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. Yet if anyone is going to include them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor and also Johnson. Australia's article gamers rate 2nd (Magbegor, 2.4) as well as 4th (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every video game and possess the flexibility to stand up for Stewart and Wilson on the border. Magbegor is particularly experienced versus each challengers, having actually encountered Stewart virtual for three years as Storm colleagues and also compared with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The most significant difficulty for Magbegor and Smith is repulsive trouble. Magbegor got 3 first-half fouls versus Canada, as well as Smith had two in the 1st quarter versus France, limiting their minutes. Back-up George is a challenging, experienced player (she scored 18 points in 24 moments versus Serbia) yet no place near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton raises a legitimate issue. However offered the experience Stewart and Wilson have at this phase-- Stewart is choosing her third Olympic gold and Wilson her second, while Magbegor and also Smith are actually seeming in their initial Video games-- I would certainly expect the Crew USA tremendously duo to make the winning plays essential in such a stressful circumstance to breakthrough to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and also Belgium would be a more durable rival for Staff USA?Pelton: I am actually going with Belgium, which gave the USA girls their hardest Olympic test yet. The Americans prevailed through thirteen points, although the frame was actually just 7 getting into the 4th quarter of a group phase game played in Lille, France, near the borderline along with Belgium. All this despite Belgium going only 5-of-27 in 3-point shooting, with Julie Vanloo particularly battling coming from downtown while skipping 10 of her 11 attempts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 coming from 3, racking up thirteen points with seven supports (albeit with nine turnovers) as Belgium cruised previous Spain, the just other staff besides the U.S. that was unbeaten in pool play.Philippou: As the host country with the crowd on its side and also lots of honor vulnerable, a challenging protective team in France wouldn't be a pushover, either, specifically if Marine Johannes may blow up like she did versus Germany along with 24 aspects off the seat and along with Gabby Williams breaking the ice on each ends.Has Group U.S.A. played its finest basketball yet?Philippou: In-game congruity, especially on outburst, can easily still be an issue. There are times when the lack of playing opportunity all together or Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is actually still apparent. It goes without saying, there's a main reason why Sue Bird recently claimed on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that USA Basketball is the most annoying basketball she has ever before participated in. After a little a slow beginning, the USA eventually led through 30 in the third fourth against Nigeria, but Reeve couldn't have actually liked how her staff permitted the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point video game just before the last buzzer. With four games, the Americans' shortage of 3-point capturing hasn't definitely been actually fixed, which might be a problem if challengers get hot from deep.Team USA can't forget any of the continuing to be staffs in the field, yet along with a defensive identity as well as offensive adeptness led by Stewart and Wilson, it has revealed it can place games away when it requires to, one thing that must transmit over right into the ultimate two games.Pelton: On the other side, I assume the shooting is actually additionally main reason to strongly believe there is actually an additional gear for the U.S. women. Jointly, the 12 players on the roster have actually integrated to fire thirty three% on 3-point tries in the WNBA this season. That won't get a "Dash Sis" nickname any time quickly, however it is actually additionally better than Staff United States has actually taken care of coming from the much shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are outstanding to warm up from lengthy variety. Keep an eye out if they eventually perform.