.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers ladies's college baseball and the WNBA.Recently dealt with UConn and the WNBA Connecticut Sunlight for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate as well as Baltimore native along with further encounter at the Dallas Early Morning Headlines, Seat Times as well as Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Elder Writer Co-author, Pro Baseball Syllabus series.In the past a specialist with the Indiana Pacers.Built WARP ranking and SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo international rivals will definitely reunite on Friday, as the United States females's baseball team takes on the Australian Opals along with an area in the 2024 Paris Gamings' gold award suit on the line.Team United States, which is actually using a streak of 59 consecutive Olympic triumphes, advanced to the semifinals along with an 88-74 triumph over Nigeria on Wednesday. Adhering to a distressed loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung together three straight triumphes, featuring Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal choice over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the USA ladies have actually been actually the gold specification for baseball around the planet, winning 7 consecutive Olympic gold medals as well as 9 general, Australia has actually been actually a historic goliath together with all of them. The Opals have actually medaled in 5 of the past 7 Summer Gamings, taking home three silvers and also two bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris marks the very first time they have actually improved past the quarterfinals given that the 2012 Greater london Gamings.2012 additionally was the final opportunity the fabulous Lauren Jackson wore on the Olympic stage for the eco-friendly and gold-- previously. While Team USA possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, appearing in her 5th Video games as well as first in 12 years. Jackson has actually consistently medaled in the competition, and though she has seen restricted action up until now in France, she possesses an opportunity to carry on that streak this weekend.Australia-- which includes six energetic WNBA players-- possesses a lot of energy, however the Opals are 0-20 all time against the U.S. elderly national crew, consisting of 0-8 in Olympic competitors. During the course of the 5 Gamings in which they medaled, Australia shed to the USA either in the semifinals or even the gold award contest. The squads last met in 2020, when the Americans prevailed 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou as well as Kevin Pelton break a few of journalism questions heading right into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit histories Jackie Youthful for jump-starting Crew USABreanna Stewart chats along with Brian Windhorst after Group USA's 14-point draw Nigeria to accelerate to the semifinals.Team U.S.A. switched over up its beginning five versus Nigeria, along with Jackie Young instead of Diana Taurasi. Carried out the move correct its issues in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Youthful in place of Taurasi-- that had last go over the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the best action. With 15 aspects versus Nigeria, Young appears to be taking a function as Staff U.S.A.'s third scorer responsible for A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. (Definitely, Youthful is actually the only various other U.S. gamer averaging dual figures at 10.3 aspects every game.) Youthful, among three Sin city Aces players in the beginning 5, flaunted her 3-point firing previously versus Germany, going 5-of-8. However while she went scoreless from deep-seated on Wednesday, it was her capacity to get downhill as well as attack from midrange that attracted attention, in addition to her trademark protection in the backcourt. It took up until the middle of the 2nd quarter for the U.S. to really put its feet on the gas versus Nigeria, but Young's aggression as well as electricity on both ends need to continue to return. And also Taurasi appeared to perform well off the seat, where she stepped up as a facilitator along with four assists.Pelton: I 'd enjoy to view beginning point player Chelsea Gray be a risk to score. She missed all three of her shot attempts in the quarterfinals, taking Gray to 1-of-13 until now during the Olympics. Remarkably, the united state outscored Nigeria through only pair of factors in Gray's 17:27, while all four various other beginners had a plus-minus of plus-17 or far better while on the court.Still, as I pointed out in our last roundtable, the U.S. females may overcome one non-scorer in the beginning five as long as she is taking something else to the table. And also Gray is with her playmaking, having now amounted to 22 aids against just three turnovers. So, I do not presume instructor Cheryl Reeve requires to make further changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE through Getty ImagesWhat issues perform the Australians present, and also what might make all of them a challenging matchup?Top tales of the week from Obtain exclusive access to hundreds of superior articles a year from leading authors. u2022 Solak: Appealing NFL QB sophomore class "u2022 MLB: Impressive AL MVP war, other awards "u2022 25 crucial players in CFP race" Even more ESPN+ information ".Philippou: WNBA fans will definitely be actually well acquainted with this Opals team, which includes the Seat Storm's Ezi Magbegor as well as Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Smith, Los Angeles Stimulates' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne as well as Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus Nyc Liberty trainer Sandy Brondello at the helm. Certainly not just perform the Opals possess the ability to compete against Crew U.S.A.. They have energy as well as resolve following their frustrating start to the Olympics. Brondello has been pleased along with her crew's poise and also grit over recent week, 2 high qualities a rival requires when encountering the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced assault includes five players averaging at the very least 8.0 PPG, can easily injure adversaries inside along with Magbegor and also Johnson however additionally from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the most ideal in the Olympic field and also much greater than Group USA's modest 30.8%. Whitcomb as well as Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while along with the Las Vegas Aces, lead the group along with 8 and also seven treys, respectively.Pelton: Abstractly, Australia is actually deeper and also even more gifted than any kind of group in the field barring the USA ladies. Our experts can easily question the best worldwide gamer at the Paris Games, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and Satou Sabally (Germany) as powerful applicants. However no crew possesses a set of gamers as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and Smith, each of whom will have gotten on my WNBA Dream team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was actually certainly not named to the group this time regardless of similar manufacturing.) And also no crew outside the united state has almost as a lot WNBA expertise throughout its own roster.Given all that ability, it was astonishing when Australia dropped its position game to Nigeria then hardly beat winless Canada. In their previous 2 activities, our team've found the Opals we expected, as they defeat surpassed France to develop to the knockout phase as well as led Serbia by as many as 28 in an uneven quarterfinal victory.A' Ja recipes to Stewie for 3. LeBron authorizes. USA System as well as Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 May anyone quit Breanna Stewart and also A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. But if anybody is actually visiting have all of them, it's the duo of Magbegor and Smith. Australia's article gamers place 2nd (Magbegor, 2.4) and fourth (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every activity as well as have the movement to stand up for Stewart as well as Wilson on the border. Magbegor is actually particularly experienced versus each rivals, having actually faced Stewart virtual for three years as Storm teammates and paired up along with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The greatest challenge for Magbegor and also Johnson is foul difficulty. Magbegor picked up 3 first-half fouls versus Canada, and also Smith possessed pair of in the very first fourth versus France, limiting their mins. Data backup George is actually a hard, knowledgeable gamer (she scored 18 points in 24 mins against Serbia) yet no place near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton raises a legitimate concern. However offered the take in Stewart and also Wilson have at this phase-- Stewart is choosing her third Olympic gold and Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor and also Smith are actually appearing in their 1st Video games-- I will anticipate the Group United States tremendously duo to produce the winning plays needed in such a stressful scenario to development to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and Belgium would be actually a more durable opponent for Team USA?Pelton: I am actually picking Belgium, which gave the U.S. girls their most difficult Olympic examination yet. The Americans prevailed by 13 points, although the frame was just 7 entering into the 4th one-fourth of a team phase video game played in Lille, France, near the edge with Belgium. All this even with Belgium going just 5-of-27 in 3-point firing, with Julie Vanloo specifically battling from downtown while missing out on 10 of her 11 tries. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 coming from 3, scoring 13 factors along with 7 aids (albeit with nine turn overs) as Belgium cruised previous Spain, the only other group besides the united state that was unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the bunch nation with the group on its own edge as well as plenty of take pride in vulnerable, a difficult protective group in France would not be actually a pushover, either, specifically if Marine Johannes may go off like she carried out versus Germany with 24 points off the seat and with Gabby Williams blazing a trail on both ends.Has Staff United States played its best baseball yet?Philippou: In-game uniformity, especially on outburst, can still be actually a problem. There are actually opportunities when the lack of playing time together or Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is still noticeable. Besides, there's a reason why Sue Bird lately said on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that U.S.A. Baseball is the most uncomfortable baseball she has ever before played. After a little a slow beginning, the USA at some point led through 30 in the third quarter versus Nigeria, but Reeve could not have actually enjoyed how her group enabled the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point game just before the final buzzer. By means of four activities, the Americans' shortage of 3-point capturing have not truly been treated, which might be a problem if enemies fume coming from deep.Team USA can not overlook some of the remaining teams in the field, but with a protective identification and aggressive prowess led through Stewart as well as Wilson, it has revealed it may put games away when it requires to, something that must transfer over right into the final two games.Pelton: On the flip side, I presume the shooting is likewise explanation to strongly believe there's another equipment for the USA ladies. Together, the 12 gamers on the lineup have actually mixed to fire thirty three% on 3-point attempts in the WNBA this season. That will not earn a "Dash Sisters" nickname any time very soon, however it's likewise better than Staff United States has actually managed from the shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) as well as Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually overdue to warm from long array. Look out if they finally do.