SYDNEY, SEPT 29 (UNB/AP) - Australia's first chance at a gold medal in women's Olympic basketball came from the old guard and the new center.

The team with the home-continent advantage beat Brazil 64-52 Friday to advance to the gold medal game for the first time.

The best Australia had ever managed before was a bronze in 1996.

Now, the worst it can get is a silver as Australia will play the winner of the United States-South Korea semifinal on Saturday.

Against Brazil, Australia (7-0) hit its first four shots and went on to an 11-0 lead.

The sellout crowd of 14,698 at the SuperDome was ready for a blowout, but Brazil hung around and hung around and was 44-40 with 10:02 to play.

A jumper by Trish Fallon started an 8-0 run that finished with 3-pointers by Michelle Timms, the 35-year-old veteran of four Olympics, and Lauren Jackson, the 19-year-old considered the future of Australian women's basketball.

Timms always receives the loudest ovation when the team is introduced, with Jackson not far behind. They were right together when Australia needed it and Jackson's 3 made it 52-40 with 7:53 left.

The 3 were the only points of the game for Timms, who has been limited to about six minutes a game as she recovers from arthroscopic knee surgery after playing for the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury.

Australia's biggest lead was 56-42 with 6:15 to play on a layup by Michelle Griffiths, and Brazil (3-4) never got closer than eight points the rest of the way.

Jackson and Sandy Brondello each had 16 points for Australia. Brondello scored the first six points of the game.

Janeth Arcain, who plays for the WNBA's Houston Comets, had 21 points for Brazil, two points above her average for the tournament.

It was the second time Australia had beaten Brazil in the tournament. It won 81-70 in the preliminary round.

Australia advanced to the semifinals with a 76-48 victory over Poland, while Brazil got there with a 68-67 victory over Russia.

Brazil was trying to get to the gold medal game for the second straight Olympics. It won the silver in 1996, losing to the United States in the final.