.Brian Windhorst, ESPN Elder WriterAug 7, 2024, 05:28 PM ETCloseESPN.com NBA writer given that 2010.Dealt With Cleveland Cavs for 7 years.Writer of two booksPARIS-- The blend of A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart has proven to be a devasting mixture for the Staff USA women, to the point where there is a scenario building that they can discuss the Olympics Most Prized Possession Gamer Award.But there's a new duo surfacing, though not an astonishing one, that's shown to become a major boost as the Americans work toward an additional gold medal.Las Vegas Aces allies Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young have improved to become difference-makers in France and also played essential roles in Staff United States's 88-74 success over Nigeria in the quarterfinals.It denoted the group's 59th consecutive Olympic victory and also puts together a semifinal match versus Australia, winners over Serbia Wednesday, on Friday at 3 p.m. ET.Jackie Youthful finished with double-digit aspects for the 2nd upright video game, firing 60% coming from the field in the USA' win over Nigeria. CAROLINE BREHMAN/EPA-EFE/ShutterstockCoach Cheryl Reeve moved Young right into the starting lineup instead of pro Diana Taurasi versus Nigeria, a group understood for participating in higher pressure full-court defense that tests setting against guards.It was an incentive after Young scored 19 points with four steals off the seat in the final swimming pool play activity against Germany. She reacted with an additional great efficiency, playing with energy at each points along with yet another Aces colleague, Chelsea Gray, in the backcourt.Young scored 15 aspects as well as assisted bring the united state outburst early in the activity as the Americans got off to a bit of a lethargic begin through their standards.Nigeria lagged through simply 4 points midway via the 2nd one-fourth. That is actually when Reeve headed to Plum, that was actually the 12th as well as last gamer to enter the game for the Americans. Plum immediately altered the game with her death and also rate on the annoying end, dispensing 3 simple helps and also nailing a 3-pointer. Plum completed with merely 6 factors however her six-minute change to finish the 1st one-half led to a plus-11 on the scoreboard to push the trigger 19 at half. The united state at that point began the 2nd fifty percent on a 15-0 operate and also the stress was actually done for the evening.Editor's Picks1 RelatedWilson and also Stewart, who entered the game balancing a matching 20.3 scores every video game, played their company of experienced tormenter sphere. Wilson placed in 20 aspects on 9-of-11 shooting with 11 rebounds and also 2 blocks. Stewart had thirteen points on 5-of-7 firing along with 5 rebounds and also three assists.Brittney Griner went over the bench to score 11 ideas on 4-of-5 capturing. Those 3 interior scorers blending for 16-of-21 is actually hard to beat.The U.S. got in the activity balancing 29 assists and once again placed on a ball-sharing clinic by setting up 31 more.Promise Amukamara led Nigeria, which reduced the lead to as reduced as 13 in the fourth quarter, with 19 points. The activity finished with a little bit of edge when the U.S.'s Kahleah Copper obtained a technological repulsive for tossing the reception at Nigeria's Ezinne Kalu after she racked up in the last seconds.