.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers females's university baseball and also the WNBA.Formerly dealt with UConn as well as the WNBA Connecticut Sunshine for the Hartford Courant.Stanford grad and also Baltimore indigenous with additional encounter at the Dallas Early Morning News, Seattle Times and Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Elder Author Co-author, Pro Baseball Program collection.Previously a specialist with the Indiana Pacers.Built WARP score and SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo international competitors will definitely reunite on Friday, as the United States girls's baseball team takes on the Australian Opals along with a spot in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold award match on the line.Team United States, which is using a touch of 59 successive Olympic success, developed to the semifinals along with an 88-74 overcome Nigeria on Wednesday. Complying with a distressed reduction to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung together three upright success, consisting of Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal decision over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the U.S. girls have been the gold criterion for baseball throughout the planet, winning 7 consecutive Olympic gold medals as well as 9 total, Australia has been actually a historical powerhouse together with them. The Opals have medaled in 5 of the past 7 Summer seasons Gamings, taking home 3 silvers and also two bronze, although their semifinal run in Paris notes the first time they've advanced past the quarterfinals considering that the 2012 Greater london Video games.2012 likewise was the last time the fabulous Lauren Jackson dressed on the Olympic phase for the environment-friendly as well as gold-- until now. While Group USA possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals have Jackson, 43, showing up in her 5th Video games and also initially in 12 years. Jackson has consistently medaled in the competition, and also though she has seen limited activity thus far in France, she possesses a chance to proceed that touch this weekend.Australia-- which includes 6 energetic WNBA players-- possesses lots of energy, yet the Opals are actually 0-20 perpetuity versus the USA elderly national crew, featuring 0-8 in Olympic competitors. Throughout the five Games through which they medaled, Australia lost to the USA either in the semifinals or the gold medal contest. The teams last satisfied in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and also Kevin Pelton break down a few of journalism questions heading into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit ratings Jackie Youthful for jump-starting Team USABreanna Stewart talks with Brian Windhorst after Team United States's 14-point sway Nigeria to progress to the semifinals.Team United States changed up its own beginning 5 against Nigeria, along with Jackie Young in place of Diana Taurasi. Did the step fix its issues in the backcourt?Philippou: Starting Youthful in place of Taurasi-- that had last come off the bench at the Olympics in 2004-- was the appropriate relocation. With 15 factors versus Nigeria, Youthful appears to be taking a job as Staff U.S.A.'s third scorer behind A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. (Definitely, Young is actually the merely various other united state player balancing dual figures at 10.3 aspects every game.) Young, one of 3 Sin city Aces players in the starting 5, showed off her 3-point capturing earlier against Germany, going 5-of-8. But while she went scoreless from deep-seated on Wednesday, it was her capacity to obtain downhill as well as reach coming from midrange that stood apart, in addition to her hallmark self defense in the backcourt. It took until the middle of the second quarter for the U.S. to truly put its feet on the fuel versus Nigeria, however Young's hostility as well as energy on each ends need to remain to pay dividends. And also Taurasi appeared to perform effectively off the bench, where she stepped up as a company along with 4 assists.Pelton: I will like to view starting point player Chelsea Gray be a risk to score. She skipped all 3 of her try tries in the quarterfinals, taking Gray to 1-of-13 up until now throughout the Olympics. Remarkably, the U.S. outscored Nigeria by merely 2 factors in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 other starters had a plus-minus of plus-17 or even much better while on the court.Still, as I pointed out in our last roundtable, the united state females can overcome one non-scorer in the starting five such a long time as she is taking something else to the table. And Gray is actually with her playmaking, having today totaled 22 aids versus merely three turn overs. So, I don't think coach Cheryl Reeve needs to have to create additional changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE using Getty ImagesWhat issues perform the Australians present, and also what can make them a difficult matchup?Top tales of the week coming from Get special access to countless premium short articles a year coming from top article writers. u2022 Solak: Fascinating NFL QB student lesson "u2022 MLB: Impressive AL MVP war, other honors "u2022 25 crucial gamers in CFP race" Additional ESPN+ content ".Philippou: WNBA supporters will be well accustomed to 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 Nyc Freedom instructor Sandy Brondello at the helm. Certainly not only do the Opals possess the skill to complete versus Crew USA. They have momentum and resolve following their frustrating start to the Olympics. Brondello has been actually satisfied along with her crew's poise as well as guts over recent full week, pair of high qualities an enemy needs to have when experiencing the Americans.The Opals, whose balanced strike flaunts 5 gamers averaging at least 8.0 PPG, can easily hurt foes inside along with Magbegor and also Smith yet likewise from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the most effective in the Olympic field and also considerably more than Group USA's modest 30.8%. Whitcomb as well as Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champ while along with the Sin City Aces, lead the group with 8 and also 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: Abstractly, Australia is deeper and much more proficient than any sort of staff in the field barring the USA women. We may dispute the most ideal global player at the Paris Gamings, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and also Satou Sabally (Germany) as solid candidates. But no team has a pair of players comparable to the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor as well as Johnson, each of whom would certainly possess gotten on my WNBA All-Star team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was actually certainly not named to the team this period regardless of similar creation.) And no crew outside the U.S. possesses virtually as a lot WNBA expertise throughout its roster.Given all that ability, it was actually stunning when Australia dropped its own position activity to Nigeria after that hardly trump winless Canada. In their past 2 activities, our team have actually found the Opals our team anticipated, as they trump topped France to advance to the knockout phase and also led Serbia through as numerous as 28 in an askew 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 Can anyone quit Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. Yet if anyone is actually visiting contain them, it is actually the duo of Magbegor and also Smith. Australia's blog post gamers place 2nd (Magbegor, 2.4) as well as fourth (Johnson, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks per activity and also possess the movement to defend Stewart and Wilson on the border. Magbegor is especially experienced against both enemies, having faced Stewart in practice for three years as Tornado allies and also compared along with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The largest barrier for Magbegor and also Johnson is foul problem. Magbegor got 3 first-half fouls against Canada, and Johnson had two in the first one-fourth versus France, restricting their mins. Back-up George is actually a challenging, skilled player (she scored 18 aspects in 24 moments versus Serbia) but no place near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton raises a valid concern. But offered the experience Stewart as well as Wilson have at this phase-- Stewart is actually selecting her 3rd Olympic gold and also Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor and also Johnson are actually showing up in their first Gamings-- I will count on the Team U.S.A. extremely duo to create the winning plays necessary in such a stressful circumstance to advancement to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and Belgium would certainly be a tougher rival for Group USA?Pelton: I am actually going with Belgium, which provided the USA women their most difficult Olympic examination but. The Americans dominated by 13 factors, although the frame was actually merely 7 getting into the fourth quarter of a team stage game played in Lille, France, near the border along with Belgium. All this despite Belgium going just 5-of-27 in 3-point shooting, with Julie Vanloo especially struggling 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 with seven aids (albeit with nine turn overs) as Belgium travelled previous Spain, the just other team besides the united state that was unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the bunch nation with the group on its own side and also lots of satisfaction vulnerable, a hard defensive crew in France would not be actually a pushover, either, especially if Marine Johannes can easily go off like she performed versus Germany with 24 factors off the seat as well as along with Gabby Williams blazing a trail on both ends.Has Group USA played its ideal baseball yet?Philippou: In-game consistency, particularly on offense, can easily still be a problem. There are actually times when the absence of participating in time with each other or even Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is actually still noticeable. Nevertheless, there's a reason Sue Bird lately mentioned on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that U.S.A. Basketball is actually the most annoying basketball she has actually ever participated in. After a little a slow beginning, the U.S. ultimately led through 30 in the third fourth versus Nigeria, yet Reeve couldn't have actually loved exactly how her crew made it possible for the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point game prior to the final buzzer. Via 4 video games, the Americans' lack of 3-point firing hasn't really been remedied, which could be a concern if enemies fume coming from deep.Team U.S.A. can not neglect any of the continuing to be staffs in the field, however with a defensive identity as well as offensive prowess led through Stewart and Wilson, it has actually shown it may put activities away when it requires to, something that ought to transfer over in to the final pair of games.Pelton: On the flip side, I think the firing is likewise factor to strongly believe there is actually another gear for the USA females. Jointly, the 12 gamers on the roster have blended to fire 33% on 3-point tries in the WNBA this season. That will not earn a "Sprinkle Siblings" label whenever very soon, however it is actually additionally far better than Team United States has dealt with from the much shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and also Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually overdue to heat coming from long assortment. Look out if they finally carry out.