.Brian Windhorst, ESPN Elderly Person WriterAug 7, 2024, 05:28 PM ETCloseESPN.com NBA article writer because 2010.Dealt With Cleveland Cavs for 7 years.Writer of 2 booksPARIS-- The mix of A'ja Wilson as well as Breanna Stewart has shown to be a devasting combo for the Crew United States ladies, to the point where there is a case creating that they can discuss the Olympics Many Belongings Player Award.But there's a brand-new duo surfacing, though not an unusual one, that is actually shown to be a major improvement as the Americans work toward yet another gold medal.Las Las vega Aces teammates Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young have improved to be difference-makers in France and also participated in key jobs in Team U.S.A.'s 88-74 success over Nigeria in the quarterfinals.It denoted the staff's 59th consecutive Olympic victory and establishes a semifinal match versus Australia, winners over Serbia Wednesday, on Friday at 3 p.m. ET.Jackie Youthful do with double-digit aspects for the 2nd straight video game, shooting 60% from the industry in the United States' win over Nigeria. CAROLINE BREHMAN/EPA-EFE/ShutterstockCoach Cheryl Reeve relocated Youthful in to the starting sequence instead of pro Diana Taurasi versus Nigeria, a group understood for playing high tension full-court self defense that tests opposing guards.It was an incentive after Young racked up 19 points along with 4 swipes off the bench in the last swimming pool play video game versus Germany. She answered along with an additional great performance, playing with power at each points along with one more Aces teammate, Chelsea Gray, in the backcourt.Young racked up 15 points as well as helped hold the USA outburst early in the game as the Americans left to a bit of a slow-moving start by their standards.Nigeria lagged through only four factors midway through the second quarter. That's when Reeve went to Plum, that was actually the 12th and final player to enter the game for the Americans. Plum instantly altered the activity with her death and velocity on the annoying end, dispensing 3 simple aids as well as toenailing a 3-pointer. Plum finished with merely six points but her six-minute switch to finish the initial fifty percent caused a plus-11 on the scoreboard to drive the bring about 19 at fifty percent. The U.S. after that started the second one-half on a 15-0 run and also the worry was provided for the evening.Editor's Picks1 RelatedWilson and also Stewart, who entered into the activity balancing a matching 20.3 points per game, played their brand name of skilled oppressor ball. Wilson put in twenty aspects on 9-of-11 capturing with 11 rebounds and also 2 blocks. Stewart possessed 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting with 5 rebounds and three assists.Brittney Griner came off the seat to score 11 ideas on 4-of-5 capturing. Those three internal scorers integrating for 16-of-21 is challenging to beat.The USA entered into the activity balancing 29 assists and once again applied a ball-sharing clinic by assembling 31 more.Promise Amukamara led Nigeria, which cut the top to as low as 13 in the fourth quarter, with 19 points. The video game ended with a little bit of edge when the USA's Kahleah Copper obtained a specialized nasty for throwing the ball at Nigeria's Ezinne Kalu after she scored in the final few seconds.