OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS—Calabasas High senior Callum Dewar didn’t see a lot of playing time as a junior. This season he’s been the Coyotes’ go-to scorer with 14.9 points per game. Photo courtesy of Calabasas Basketball Callum Dewar waited patiently for his chance.

The senior forward for the Calabasas High boys’ basketball team played behind star Jordan Coleman last year. Minutes were hard to come by, and Dewar did what he could in limited action.

Every day in practice Dewar battled Coleman, who now plays at Hawaii. The younger Coyote sharpened his skills while getting ready for 2010-11.

Dewar’s breakout party is off the hook.

“Callum’s our best athlete and maybe one of the best athletes in the league,” head coach Jon Palarz said.

Dewar leads the Coyotes with 14.9 points per game. A fine manon man defender, he also tops the squad in steals.

The senior’s not just a star on the hardwood.

He’s a super-duper star in the classroom.

An honors student among honors students, Dewar has a 4.4 grade-point average. If all goes well during this week’s finals, Dewar said he expects to hold onto a 4.8 GPA this semester.

He takes Advanced Placement courses in physics, calculus, statistics and government.

Dewar wants to play basketball and study at one of several outstanding academic schools in the U. S., including Johns Hopkins University, Pomona College and the California Institute of Technology.

A math and science whiz, Dewar wants to attend medical school and become a neurologist. He has volunteered at UCLA Medical Center’s neuroscience office.

“ I’m really interested in repairing dead or dying neurons in the brain,” Dewar said.

While focusing on academics, Dewar has made a commitment to improve his basketball skills.

Although he spent the summer manning point guard, Dewar has seamlessly adjusted to life on the wing. The 17-year-old slashing small forward constantly moves without the ball and isn’t afraid to crash the offensive glass.

The 6-foot-1 senior spent the summer getting stronger and more athletic. He lifted weights and worked on his fast-twitch muscles, especially in his legs so he could jump higher.

He entered this season confident and ready to blossom.

“As a senior, I’ve gained a lot of confidence,” Dewar said. “I’m not afraid to take more shots and put myself out there. I’m attacking the basket constantly and going for offensive boards.”

Teammates are impressed with Dewar.

“In some ways I idolize him,” said teammate Josh Cohan, a junior forward. “He has basketball and grades, and he has a really good social life. That’s my goal— to be well-rounded.”

Dewar also tutors Cohan in calculus.

“He helps me a lot with that,” Cohan said. “He’s a great tutor and he likes helping me.”

Dewar leads the Coyotes, (14-6 overall, 5-2 in the Marmonte League) into Friday’s home game against Newbury Park.

“We can push the ball pretty fast,” the senior said. “We’re definitely one of the faster and more athletic teams in the league. And we have some size. . . .

“Of course, we want to win league. Hopefully we don’t lose anything in the second half of league. We want to try to go as far as we can in the CIF playoffs.”

Calabasas is ranked No. 7 in the CIF-Southern Section Division 3A coaches’ poll. Harvard- Westlake and Crespi are 1-2 in the same poll, while local rival Agoura is slated 16th.

Dewar doesn’t come from a basketball family.

His parents, Steve and Sandra, emigrated from Cape Town, South Africa. Dewar, who was born in Los Angles, started playing basketball at age 2 when he found his way to a court while attending a UCLA day care center.

“I couldn’t play baseball to save my life,” said Dewar, whose sister, Amy, is a sophomore on the CHS dance team. “And soccer’s too dull for me. So I stuck with basketball.

“ I plan on staying in the weight room and working on my shot a lot. Hopefully I keep getting better and don’t peak anytime soon.”

Palarz, who earned a master’s degree in history from Harvard University, appreciates having a thoughtful, intelligent and talented student-athlete on his team.

“You dream about having kids like him,” Palarz said, “who are so well-rounded and successful.”

Coyotes in the hunt

Calabasas has Thousand Oaks on its radar.

One game behind the Lancers (17-2, 6-1) for first place in the Marmonte, the Coyotes hope to make a run in the second half of league season. CHS and Simi Valley (13-6, 5-2) share second place.

Nick Justman, a 6-foot-7 senior forward, helps the Coyotes in the post while sharpshooting guard Lenard Gorokhov is a beast in the backcourt.

Austin Schreibman, Nema Sahebifard, Rowell Dizon, Daniel Regan, Jeremy Lieberman, Holden Israel, Zac Hepps, Max Hoetzel, Spencer Levy and Alex Monsegue round out the roster.

Doug Yocum and Joe Frazier are assistant coaches, while Satish Kayastha, Lee Garson and Jason Mallin aid the program from the bench.