By Aseel Barghuthi

Are you a sore loser? Do you hate being benched? Do you have an attitude problem on the court? There's only one way to find out!! Take my exclusive Gball Attitude Quiz:

1. You're outside, shooting your daily 100 hoops. You seem to be off- balance with your shots, and you're beginning to get a little frustrated. Do you ...
a) go inside after you realize it's getting late, disregarding your lack of focus.
b) continue shooting until you nail that shot, even if it means missing a couple hours of study time.
c) go inside and call a teammate for an ego-boost.
d) become increasingly frustrated, and rush inside to release your anger on your younger siblings.

2. It's a tournament game, and your shot is falling perfectly. After you nail your third three pointer, the ref blows the whistle and calls for a substitution. Your eyes widen in disbelief as you're taken out of the game. You silently fume on the bench, but when you're alone with your coach later on, you ...
a) act like nothing happened, and talk about the lack of defensive strength within the other team's strategy.
b) beat around the bush for a while, and then indirectly hint that you weren't happy with being taken out while you were just getting heated up.
c) ask your teammates to go talk to the coach for you. They'll do the dirty work.
d) throw a tantrum at the next practice and refuse to do any exercises until your coach apologizes for his mistake.

3. You're playing a friendly game of knockout before practice starts, you're in the final three, and one of your teammates purposely knocks your ball away before you can take another shot. You ...
a) smile and say: "well, I guess that takes me out of the game."
b) mock throttle her, and say: "ah well, you're all no competition anyway."
c) become agitated and later spread rumors about her lack of skill.
d) yell at her for being so childish and annoying. You swear you'll never play the game again. It's silly anyway.

4. You make a bet with a school buddy that the Sparks are going to massacre the Comets. Your buddy on the other hand, disagrees. When the Comets win game one, and your buddy demands for the money you owe. You ...
a. hand over the money and laugh at your bud's imitation of Lisa Leslie shooting free throws.
b. give your bud a loooong lecture about how it was luck, and then hand over the money.
c. say you'll pay him/her back later but never do. you "forget."
d. glare at her when she asks for the money, and change the subject.

5. At your school's annual 3 on 3 contest, your two usual partners have chosen other teams to play on. When they attribute their actions to a need for change, you ...
a. decide not to play this year, there's always next year.
b. find another team, but not before letting them know they let you down.
c. give them the silent treatment for a whole week.
d. Find a new team ... and new friends.

6. You create your very own new cross-over move. You show it to one of your teammates, and she's really impressed. When she starts using it at scrimmages and in practice, you ...
a. shrug your shoulders and make up a new move.
b. are flattered, after all, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
c. let all the team know that it's your move, indirectly.
d. tell her that she's a copycat, and that she should go make up her own move.

RESULTS ANALYSIS:
Mostly A's: You're a Passive Player
You're so cool and calm about everything, that sometimes people wonder if you've ever been angry at all. Without knowing it, you often let things go unnoticed, when, in fact, the contrary should take place. You've grown accustomed to just letting things go.

The good part is: You have a great deal of patience and a tremendous work ethic.

The bad part is: You often don't say what's on your mind.

Mostly B's: You're a Driven Dribbler
You love the game, and you're not going to let anyone take that away from you. You have a good balance between knowing when to stop, and knowing when to push towards the maximum.

The good part is: You're responsible on and off the court.

The bad part is: When reaching towards your dream, you sometimes disregard the feelings of others.

Mostly C's: You're a Reliant Rebounder
You consistently rely on others to maintain your status, instead of relying solely on yourself to get what it is you want. Being able to rely on your teammates is a gift, but not all the time. When it all comes down to it, you're the only one that can achieve the goals ahead of you.

The good part is: You know the value of teamwork.

The bad part is: You are overly reliant on the very teamwork you have come to appreciate.

Mostly D's: You're a Busted Baller
Temper, temper, temper ... You have a very short fuse when it comes to others. Your tolerance level is low, and you are angered by anything that comes close to defying your credibility as a baller. This is intimidating on the court, and off the court.

The good part is: No one crosses you because they know exactly where you draw the line.

The bad part is: Your temper has also earned you a bad reputation amongst team members.

All you girl ballers out there should remember that it doesn't only take skill to be a great baller, but it takes good sportsmanship and the right attitude!

Until next time....

#68, Aseel

Aseel Barghuthi is a graduate of the Amman Baccalaureate School in Amman, Jordan, and a freshman at Duke University. She played high school ball in Amman and Athens, Ga. To contact Aseel with any comments or suggestions, e-mail her at aseel@index.com.jo.