.Brian Windhorst, ESPN Elderly Person WriterAug 7, 2024, 05:28 PM ETCloseESPN.com NBA author due to the fact that 2010.Covered Cleveland Cavs for 7 years.Author of two booksPARIS-- The mix of A'ja Wilson and also Breanna Stewart has actually confirmed to become a devasting combo for the Staff U.S.A. girls, relevant where there is actually a case creating that they could discuss the Olympics Most Prized Possession Player Award.But there's a brand new duo developing, though not an astonishing one, that is actually confirmed to become a major improvement as the Americans pursue an additional gold medal.Las Vegas Aces teammates Kelsey Plum and also Jackie Young have actually improved to be difference-makers in France and also played crucial roles in Team U.S.A.'s 88-74 success over Nigeria in the quarterfinals.It indicated the staff's 59th successive Olympic triumph and also sets up a semifinal competition versus Australia, winners over Serbia Wednesday, on Friday at 3 p.m. ET.Jackie Young finished with double-digit factors for the 2nd upright activity, firing 60% from the area in the USA' win over Nigeria. CAROLINE BREHMAN/EPA-EFE/ShutterstockCoach Cheryl Reeve moved Youthful into the beginning sequence instead of expert Diana Taurasi versus Nigeria, a staff understood for playing high tension full-court defense that challenges setting against guards.It was actually an incentive after Youthful scored 19 factors with 4 takes off the bench in the final pool play video game versus Germany. She responded along with another outstanding performance, enjoying with power at both points along with yet another Aces teammate, Chelsea Gray, in the backcourt.Young racked up 15 aspects as well as assisted bring the united state outburst early in the game as the Americans left to a little a slow begin through their standards.Nigeria was behind through merely 4 factors midway with the second one-fourth. That is actually when Reeve went to Plum, who was actually the 12th and also last player to go into the game for the Americans. Plum instantaneously transformed the activity along with her death and also velocity on the annoying end, dispensing 3 simple assists and nailing a 3-pointer. Plum do with just six aspects however her six-minute change to finish the very first half resulted in a plus-11 on the scoreboard to drive the result in 19 at one-half. The U.S. then began the 2nd one-half on a 15-0 operate and also the anxiety was created for the evening.Editor's Picks1 RelatedWilson as well as Stewart, that entered the video game balancing a matching 20.3 scores per video game, played their brand of seasoned oppressor ball. Wilson placed in twenty points on 9-of-11 capturing along with 11 rebounds and pair of blocks. Stewart had thirteen factors on 5-of-7 shooting along with five rebounds and also three assists.Brittney Griner went over the seat to credit rating 11 ideas on 4-of-5 capturing. Those three interior markers mixing for 16-of-21 is actually tough to beat.The U.S. went into the video game averaging 29 helps as well as once more applied a ball-sharing center through assembling 31 more.Promise Amukamara led Nigeria, which cut the lead to as low as thirteen in the 4th one-fourth, with 19 scores. The game ended along with a little advantage when the U.S.'s Kahleah Copper obtained a specialized filthy for throwing the reception at Nigeria's Ezinne Kalu after she racked up in the last secs.