Basketball On The Internet.

ON what is now a 60-win Olympic streak, the invincible USA women's basketball machine last night simply flexed its muscles and rolled over Australia, taking the Opals out of any semblance of cohesive offence, destroying whatever gameplan they had, then sitting back to admire what Isobel Borlase will bring to their WNBA. 

Opals coach Sandy Brondello, having watched as her team was roundly embarrassed and shifting gears from the semi final to an imminent bronze medal playoff, cleared her bench which gave Borlase 14 minutes to strut her stuff.

She did it too, scoring an encouraging 11 points at 56 per cent, albeit with the match already well and truly decided. 

That happened early, the US producing a 25-11 second period during which it looked a superb, well-oiled, job-to-do unit, compared to Australia's growingly dysfunctional desperation trying (unsuccessfully) to run one-on-one hero ball type plays against the sport's most athletic and powerful defence.

Its hustle and lane blockages meant Australia was reduced to solo adventuring which looked dubious from the get-go as the USA converted the Opals' penchant for turning over the ball into a fast-break extravaganza.

Steph Talbot, who left the game with an injury after just 10:36 of action, had more turnovers than points (3 to 2) when she departed, the signs already ominous with her turnover on the Opals' very first offence.

She drove to score her only basket at 9:14 for 2-2, few ready to accept or believe Australia would not only never lead in this game but that it never again would draw level either.

A turnover by Sami Whitcomb inflated the margin on Breanna Stewart's layup and Jackie Young's fast break made it 8-2 to the Americans.

Alanna Smith (7 points on 3-of-4 shooting, 7 rebounds in 17 minutes) and captain Tess Madgen (10 points, 2 assists) were arguably the only Aussies consistently holding their own until Brondello realised the unthinkable - a comeback upset - was even beyond unthinkable.

The US ahead 14-4, it was already getting ugly until Whitcomb hit a 3-pointer but at 18-9 up on another fast-break basket, there was no respite in sight.

The US defence was exemplary and it rewarded itself on every bad play the Opals produced.

Lauren Jackson was introduced with 2:15 left in the first period, Madgen's driving jumpshot cutting the margin to 11-18.

Jackson created a steal on her first defensive stand, Madgen hitting a three at 2:04 and 14-18.

Then a Whitcomb pass to Jade Melbourne had the margin at 16-18, the Opals' 7-0 run its most - and only - truly meaningful run of the game.

Brittney Griner made it 20-16 and Ezi Magbegor missed a relatively easy basket as the first period ended.

A 3-point barrage to open the second period saw the USA race to 30-16, Australia's offence in tatters and Brondello taking timeout.

It had no effect as the US built its lead to 32-16 - a 14-0 outburst from 18-16 up - and it only grew worse. Trailing 27-45 at halftime, the Opals had eight turnovers the US cashed into double that in fast-break points.

They shot it at a comfortable 53 per cent to Australia's 33, owned the boards 25-15 and in further evidence of the Opals' offensive ineptitude, blocked five shots. To halftime.

Wilson blocked four of them, the US's 21-13 third quarter further humiliating its opponent.

For all the pre-game tough talk, the few players to actually have a go were Borlase, Marianna Tolo and Kristy Wallace, Jackson with her head resting on her hand throughout an idle second half.

Brondello did not know how best to use her asset at the FIBA World Cup in 2022 and this Olympics has only been more of the same lack of imagination or ability to recognise how much the GOAT terrifies opposition players.

The post-game hugs the Americans were giving her reflects their respect for Jackson is obviously greater than that of the Opals' coaching staff.

“You’re the GOAT,” Storm star and US guard Jewell Loyd exclaimed, wrapping an arm around Jackson.

“My inspiration,” said fellow American Brittany Griner, embracing our former Storm star with a five-second bear hug. “I’m just trying to be like you.”

“You’re the reason the WNBA is what it is,” added Sabrina Ionescu, patting Jackson on the back as she walked by.

Ionescu plays for Brondello on the WNBA's New York Liberty. Maybe she can clue her in sometime about how the rest of the world reveres our greatest player.

Certainly more than a couple of DNPs and 5:02 against the USA.

Perhaps more than a cameo awaits in the bronze medal match against Belgium tomorrow at 7:30pm AEST, the Belgians bested 81-75 in overtime by France in a classic semi final.

Ahead 36-31 at halftime, Belgium went on a 10-0 start to lead 46-31 before France, urged on by its raucous sell-out crowd, had a 10-0 reply of its own.

Running deeper into foul trouble, Belgium needed another superb performance from veteran Emma Meesseman, easily the best woman player in the world NOT born in the US.

Meesseman played 40:49 of the 45-minute contest and it was her massive 3-pointer from the top of the key which changed a 63-66 deficit into a 66-66 tie and five-minute extension.

The good news for the Opals is that after a 19-point at 50 per cent, 14-rebound, 6-assist Nikola Jokic-type game, she looked out on her feet.

If Australia can find the form and ball movement it showed against Serbia in the quarter-final, it should come home with the bronze, completing Jackson's fifth Games with her fifth Olympic medal.

After all, Serbia is no USA. And for that matter, neither is Belgium.

USA 85 (Stewart 16, Young 14, Copper 11, Wilson 10; Wilson 8 rebs; Gray, Young, Stewart 5 assts) d AUSTRALIA OPALS 64 (Borlase 11, Madgen, Tolo 10; Smith 7 rebs; Wallace, George, Whitcomb 3 assts). FRANCE 81 (Williams 18, Ayayi 17, Rupert 15, Salaun 10; Badiane, Rupert 7 rebs; Johannes 5 assts) d BELGIUM 75 (Meesseman 19, Linskens 15, Vanloo 11; Meeseman 14 rfebs; Meeseman, Vanloo, Ramette 6 assts) in overtime [66-66]

WOMEN'S FINAL

USA v France

BRONZE MEDAL 

Australia v Belgium

WOMEN'S SEMI FINALS

USA 85 d Australia 64, France 81 d Belgium 75 (in O/T)

WOMEN'S QUARTER-FINALS

Australia 85 d Serbia 67, Belgium 79 d Spain 66, France 84 d Germany 71, USA 88 d Nigeria 74

WOMEN'S INTRAGROUP RESULTS

Group A: Spain 90 d China 89, Serbia 58 d Puerto Rico 55; Spain 63 d Puerto Rico 62, Serbia 81 d China 59; China 80 d Puerto Rico 58, Spain 70 d Serbia 62. Spain 3-0 (+10), Serbia 2-1 (+17), China 1-2 (-1), Puerto Rico 0-3 (-26). Final Order: 1 Spain, 2 Serbia, 3 China, 4 Puerto Rico.

Group B: Nigeria 75 d Australia 62, France 75 d Canada 54; Australia 70 d Canada 65, France 75 d Nigeria 54; Nigeria 79 d Canada 70, Australia 79 d France 72. France 2-1 (+35), Nigeria 2-1 (+1), Australia 2-1 (-1), Canada 0-4 (-35). Tied Teams Table: France 1-1 +14, Australia 1-1 -6, Nigeria 1-1 -8. Final Order: 1 France, 2 Australia, 3 Nigeria, 4 Canada

Group C: Germany 83 d Belgium 69, USA 102 d Japan 76; Germany 75 d Japan 64, USA 87 d Belgium 74; Belgium 85 d Japan 58, USA 87 d Germany 68. USA 3-0 (+58), Germany 2-1 (+6), Belgium 1-2 (0), Japan 0-3 (-64). Final Order: 1 USA, 2 Germany, 3 Belgium, 4 Japan

MEN'S FINAL

USA v France

BRONZE MEDAL

Serbia 93 d Germany 83

MEN'S SEMI FINALS

France 73 d Germany 69, USA 95 d Serbia 91.

MEN'S QUARTER-FINALS

Germany 76 d Greece 63, Serbia 95 d Australia 90 (O/T), France 82 d Canada 73, USA 122 d Brazil 87.

MEN'S INTRAGROUP RESULTS

Group A: Australia 92 d Spain 80, Canada 86 d Greece 79; Spain 84 d Greece 77, Canada 93 d Australia 83; Greece 77 d Australia 71, Canada 88 d Spain 85. Canada 3-0 (+20), Australia 1-2 (-4), Spain 1-2 (-8), Greece 1-2 (-8). Tied Teams Table: Australia 1-1 +6, Greece 1-1 -1, Spain 1-1 -5. Final Order: 1 Canada, 2 Australia, 3 Greece, 4 Spain.

Group B: Germany 97 d Japan 77, France 78 d Brazil 66; France 94 d Japan 90, Germany 86 d Brazil 73; Brazil 102 d Japan 84, Germany 85 d France 71. Germany 3-0 (+47), France 2-1 (+2), Brazil 1-2 (-7), Japan 0-3 (-42). Final Order: 1 Germany, 2 France, 3 Brazil, 4 Japan.

Group C: South Sudan 90 d Puerto Rico 79, USA 110 d Serbia 84; Serbia 107 d Puerto Rico 66, USA 103 d South Sudan 86; USA 104 d Puerto Rico 83; Serbia 96 d South Sudan 85. USA 3-0 (+64), Serbia 2-1 (+26), South Sudan 1-2 (-17), Puerto Rico 0-3 (-73). Final Order: 1 USA, 2 Serbia, 3 South Sudan, 4 Puerto Rico.