Couch: MSU's McQuaid, Nairn, Harris shine at Moneyball

Player analysis derived from summer basketball, pro-ams included, can be misleading — as in, "That mid-major guy is a certain NBA first-round draft pick." (Ahem, Western Michigan's Stane's Bufford, circa 2005.) A small sample size is even more likely to deceive. With that read-at-your-own-risk warning submitted for the record, here's a look at what I saw from each Michigan State player taking part in Lansing's Moneyball Pro-Am, which began Tuesday night at Aim High in Dimondale.

Marvin Clark: MSU's 6-foot-5 sophomore is so far removed from the freshman who didn't have much feel for the sport last summer. But we knew that already. We saw it in March. Clark's pro-am team, which also features MSU's Eron Harris, didn't fare well Tuesday, despite strong early play from both of them, and the game lost its zest late. Clark scored 20 points, including two 3s (from behind an NBA line). His wicked crossover dribble before letting fly a deep shot brought the loudest cheers of the night from a then-sizable crowd.

Matt Costello: Summer leagues are rarely a big man's game. But Costello went head-to-head with MSU teammate Gavin Schilling during much of their game Tuesday and won the matchup. He didn't attempt to score more than a few feet from the basket, but hit nine shots, including a reverse layup off a back-shoulder baseline spin move that he showed on a few occasions late last season. Most importantly, the knee that bothered him in March, forcing April surgery, didn't seem to impact his game at all. This isn't a league where MSU players take a chance with an injury or lingering pain. Costello moved well, pushing the ball up the court a couple times and playfully dunking after the final horn.

Deyonta Davis: If MSU's incoming freshman power forward has a back-to-the-basket game, he didn't show it Tuesday. He does, however, have terrific range for a young big guy and smooth shot. He is a stretch-4 offensively right now, also scoring on put-backs and shots close to the rim. Defensively, Davis has a chance to help MSU right away. He gets his hands on passes and shots and recovers quickly with help at the rim.

Bryn Forbes: Forbes can still shoot. He didn't play as much as some of his MSU teammates Tuesday, but when the game was close late, he was a factor defensively and on the glass and he finished a fast break with a double-pump two-handed dunk. MSU coach Tom Izzo said last week that Forbes might be having the most impressive offseason of any of his players.

Eron Harris: Harris plays an old-man's game with young legs. It can be a beautiful thing to watch. The heralded West Virginia transfer can shoot from deep, but his mid-range stuff off the dribble or after backing down a defender is old-school. He's also a big-time athlete, and his one-handed alley-oop dunk on a crosscourt dish from Marvin Clark is a spectacular example of this. Harris brings bark to the game. He's verbally engaged at all times and has a nice on-court rapport with Clark. Their team fell way behind in the second half and the game became sloppy, but Harris is an effective and entertaining player.

Matt McQuaid: McQuaid is a 6-foot-5 toothpick, but I like everything else about his game. A lot. He can handle the ball with either hand, create space for himself and shoot. Really shoot. From anywhere. He has a swagger to him that isn't at all freshman-like. He wants the ball and is ready to shoot when he gets it. Unless McQuaid isn't strong enough to defend in the Big Ten, he looks like he'll help MSU this year.

Tum Tum Nairn: Nairn turned in the performance of the night among the MSU guys. (The best two performances actually came from Golden State Warriors summer league roster invitee and Lansing Eastern grad LaDontae Henton and Oakland University junior Kahlil Felder.) Nairn's offense Tuesday night didn't resemble the player from last season or last year at Moneyball. He shot freely and attacked aggressively, scoring 26 points. He knocked down several would-be college 3s, hit one floater in the lane and another step-back jumper on the drive. Even his misses looked smooth. Nairn said afterwards that he's more confident than he's ever been on a basketball court. When he shoots like this, he's impossible to keep out of the lane. If next winter he's anything close to what he was Tuesday night, he'll be among the most improved players in the Big Ten. (Again, please adhere to the warning in the opening paragraph.)

Gavin Schilling: Schilling didn't turn into Hakeem Olajuwon in the last three months, but he's still an enticing athlete who runs the floor, has improving hands and can defend quick and smaller players like few big men can. Matt Costello outplayed him Tuesday. But it was one night of pro-am basketball, which doesn't often cater to centers.

Colby Wollenman: Wollenman played the least of any of the MSU players and, in his limited time on the court, played solidly as expected.

Out of the lineup: Kyle Ahrens, Javon Bess and Denzel Valentine are on rosters but did not play. Bess said he is close to returning from the foot injury that ruined his freshman season. Ahrens is sidelined a couple weeks after what he described as "tweaking something" in the foot or ankle area. "Nothing serious," he said. Valentine was traveling home Tuesday from the invite-only Nike Basketball Academy in Los Angeles. Alvin Ellis had his left arm in a sling and is not on a Moneyball roster this summer.

Contact Graham Couch at gcouch@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Graham_Couch.