USA started the second half really well and succeeded in getting the fourth foul on the Australian starting center and then they just completely collapsed - lots of turnovers, and Williams having her worst game. So ... I would say the selection of the under 16 team last year and the selection of the under 17 this year are not likely to be the problem - personally I put it down to the coaching. And probably to the changing nature of the international scene. As the world becomes more competitive it isn't surprising that you see it at the youngest level first. I think the USA college system keeps the older groups further ahead - there is better coaching and competition and a ton more 'places' in the USA college system than anywhere else in the world, but you are seeing more international players taking advantage of that as well.
The USA AAU circuit is probably undermining the training at the younger ages as they play all those games but don't practice much - college coaches complain, and maybe it is showing now in the international competitions.
NB - given the performance this year, I would suggest that USA might have been better off keeping a lot more of the U16 team on this team - they at least had experience playing internationally and with the coaching staff so they might have been a little less 'confused'. They played one bad semi-final game in 2015, and this team is playing a bad semi this year, though I would say they have looked a little worse leading up to this game than the 2015 team looked.
