.Brian Windhorst, ESPN Elderly Person WriterAug 7, 2024, 05:28 PM ETCloseESPN.com NBA author due to the fact that 2010.Dealt With Cleveland Cavs for seven years.Writer of 2 booksPARIS-- The blend of A'ja Wilson and also Breanna Stewart has actually verified to be a devasting mixture for the Staff USA females, to the point where there is actually an instance establishing that they could possibly share the Olympics The majority of Valuable Player Award.But there's a new duo emerging, though certainly not an unusual one, that's proved to be a huge boost as the Americans work toward an additional gold medal.Las Vegas Aces teammates Kelsey Plum and also Jackie Youthful have actually stepped up to become difference-makers in France and participated in essential jobs in Staff U.S.A.'s 88-74 triumph over Nigeria in the quarterfinals.It indicated the staff's 59th successive Olympic success and sets up a semifinal match against Australia, winners over Serbia Wednesday, on Friday at 3 p.m. ET.Jackie Young completed with double-digit factors for the second straight game, firing 60% from the field in the USA' get Nigeria. CAROLINE BREHMAN/EPA-EFE/ShutterstockCoach Cheryl Reeve relocated Young right into the starting sequence in place of pro Diana Taurasi versus Nigeria, a team recognized for playing high tension full-court protection that challenges opposing guards.It was actually an incentive after Youthful racked up 19 aspects along with 4 steals off the seat in the final swimming pool play activity versus Germany. She reacted along with one more superb efficiency, playing with electricity at each ends together with yet another Aces teammate, Chelsea Gray, in the backcourt.Young scored 15 aspects and aided bring the united state offense early in the activity as the Americans left to a little a slow-moving start through their standards.Nigeria lagged by merely four points midway with the 2nd one-fourth. That is actually when Reeve visited Plum, that was actually the 12th as well as final player to go into the game for the Americans. Plum instantly modified the video game with her passing and speed on the repulsive point, dispensing three simple supports and nailing a 3-pointer. Plum completed with merely 6 factors yet her six-minute change to end up the 1st one-half resulted in a plus-11 on the scoreboard to press the trigger 19 at half. The U.S. at that point started the second half on a 15-0 run as well as the tension was actually provided for the evening.Editor's Picks1 RelatedWilson and Stewart, that came into the activity averaging a matching 20.3 scores every video game, played their label of skillful bully sphere. Wilson placed in 20 points on 9-of-11 shooting with 11 rebounds and also pair of blocks. Stewart had thirteen points on 5-of-7 firing with 5 rebounds and 3 assists.Brittney Griner went over the seat to score 11 ideas on 4-of-5 capturing. Those 3 internal scorers integrating for 16-of-21 is difficult to beat.The united state entered into the activity averaging 29 supports as well as once more put on a ball-sharing medical clinic through setting up 31 more.Promise Amukamara led Nigeria, which cut the top down to as low as thirteen in the fourth one-fourth, along with 19 scores. The game finished along with a little bit of upper hand when the U.S.'s Kahleah Copper obtained a technological nasty for throwing the reception at Nigeria's Ezinne Kalu after she racked up in the ultimate secs.