.Brian Windhorst, ESPN Senior WriterAug 7, 2024, 05:28 PM ETCloseESPN.com NBA article writer considering that 2010.Dealt With Cleveland Cavs for 7 years.Writer of pair of booksPARIS-- The combo of A'ja Wilson as well as Breanna Stewart has verified to be a devasting combination for the Group U.S.A. women, to the point where there is actually a scenario building that they can discuss the Olympics Many Prized Possession Player Award.But there is actually a brand new duo emerging, though certainly not an unusual one, that is actually proved to be a major increase as the Americans work toward one more gold medal.Las Las vega Aces teammates Kelsey Plum and Jackie Youthful have actually improved to be difference-makers in France and also played key roles in Team United States's 88-74 triumph over Nigeria in the quarterfinals.It denoted the team's 59th consecutive Olympic triumph and also sets up a semifinal match against Australia, champions over Serbia Wednesday, on Friday at 3 p.m. ET.Jackie Youthful do with double-digit points for the 2nd straight game, firing 60% coming from the industry in the USA' gain Nigeria. CAROLINE BREHMAN/EPA-EFE/ShutterstockCoach Cheryl Reeve moved Young right into the beginning sequence instead of expert Diana Taurasi against Nigeria, a group understood for participating in higher tension full-court protection that tests setting against guards.It was a perks after Young racked up 19 factors with four takes off the seat in the final swimming pool play game versus Germany. She responded with another outstanding performance, having fun with energy at each ends along with an additional Aces teammate, Chelsea Gray, in the backcourt.Young racked up 15 factors and also aided lug the U.S. offense early in the game as the Americans got off to a bit of a lethargic start by their standards.Nigeria lagged by merely 4 factors midway through the second quarter. That is actually when Reeve headed to Plum, who was the 12th and final gamer to get in the ready the Americans. Plum right away transformed the video game with her death as well as rate on the outrageous end, giving out three simple assists and also toenailing a 3-pointer. Plum do with merely six aspects but her six-minute change to complete the initial half caused a plus-11 on the scoreboard to drive the cause 19 at half. The U.S. then began the second fifty percent on a 15-0 run and the stress was actually created for the evening.Editor's Picks1 RelatedWilson and also Stewart, who entered into the activity averaging a matching 20.3 points every game, played their brand name of seasoned bully sphere. Wilson put in twenty aspects on 9-of-11 firing along with 11 rebounds and pair of blocks. Stewart possessed 13 points on 5-of-7 firing with 5 rebounds as well as 3 assists.Brittney Griner went over the bench to credit rating 11 points on 4-of-5 capturing. Those 3 indoor scorers mixing for 16-of-21 is difficult to beat.The USA entered the video game averaging 29 helps as well as once more placed on a ball-sharing facility through constructing 31 more.Promise Amukamara led Nigeria, which cut the top up to as low as 13 in the fourth quarter, with 19 scores. The activity finished with a little upper hand when the U.S.'s Kahleah Copper obtained a technical nasty for throwing the ball at Nigeria's Ezinne Kalu after she racked up in the last seconds.