PORTLAND — For the last few years, Cheverus High boys’ basketball coach Bob Brown would take time after the season to contemplate his coaching future.

“I would wait until the players had their banquet and then I would sit down and decide if I should go on as coach,” he said. “This was the first year that the answer was no.”

Brown resigned Friday, ending one of the most storied high school coaching careers in state history. Brown, 73, was a head coach for 32 years at seven high schools, the last 11 years at Cheverus. Counting his years as an assistant coach and three stints in college, Brown coached for 52 years — 42 years as a head coach.

“I made up my mind Tuesday morning, but I’ve been mulling it much longer than that. You want to leave while you’re still doing a good job, and I feel I have,” said Brown.

Brown said his retirement has been delayed in recent years by “the great kids, parents and administrators at Cheverus.”

Evaluating his career as a whole, Brown said: “I’ve been blessed. Nothing happens without good people around you. That, and being in the right place at the right time.”

Brown won four Class A state championships — two at South Portland and two at Cheverus. His final Cheverus team finished 14-6 and lost to eventual state champion Deering in the Western Class A semifinals.

“This season, I had absolutely great kids. We didn’t get to the finals, but they were great kids,” said Brown. “It would have been fun to coach these kids and watch their growth, but at the same time it was time to step aside. I feel good about it. It’s time.”

Brown had an overall high school record of 476-154. He guided South Portland to back-to-back state championships in 1979-80 and led Cheverus to state titles in 2008 and 2010. Only twice did his teams fail to make it to the regional tournament.

A graduate of Cony High in Augusta and Boston University, Brown started his coaching career at Belgrade High in 1960. Then it was on to Williams High (now Messalonskee) of Oakland. That was followed by stints at Rockland, South Portland, Edward Little, Bonny Eagle and Cheverus.

Brown left South Portland in 1981 to serve as an assistant to Rick Pitino at Boston University. Two years later, he became a head coach at St. Anselm in Manchester, N.H. Brown returned to high school at Edward Little for one season before beginning a three-year run at the University of Southern Maine. That was followed by four years at Boston University. In 1996, Brown returned to high school coaching again at Bonny Eagle, where he stayed for three seasons. He became the Cheverus coach for the 2001-02 season.

Marshwood High Coach Mike Zamarchi, who played three seasons for Brown at USM, who among the first people to hear from Brown about his retirement.

“Bob has been year-to-year, so I kind of knew it would happen,” said Zamarchi, who has been coaching at Marshwood for 17 years. “I was both sad and glad when he told me. Sad because we’re losing the best coach in Maine, and glad because I never beat him.”

“Bob set the bar for coaches in the state. He was better prepared than any coach you went against.  When he went to Cheverus, I knew he was going to build a dynasty. Bob still had the passion and the energy at the end. I could go to him for advice anytime I wanted.

“When I was at USM, I took a college basketball class from him. It was one of the best classes I had. We’re good friends off the court, as well. Bob is one of those special people who touches the lives of people in so many ways.”

Over the years, Brown has been in demand as a lecturer at basketball clinics, nationally and abroad. One of his career highlights was sharing the stage with Hall of Fame coach Dean Smith of North Carolina at an International Basketball Conference in Greece. Brown has also given clinics in Australia, New Zealand and Finland. His son, Brett, is an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs and the head coach of the Australian Olympic team.

Brown’s 1988-89 USM team reached the Division III Final Four, finishing third in the country.

“A team from Maine finishing third in the country?” said Brown. “That was pretty special and is one of the highlights of my career.”

Brown has been inducted into five Hall of Fames, including the New England Basketball Hall of Fame and the Maine Sports Hall of Fame.

“This is a sad day not only for the Cheverus community, but for everyone in Maine who enjoys high school baskeball,” said the (Rev.) William R. Campbell, S.J., the school’s president.

“Although he is known around the state as a fierce competitor, Coach Brown is, more importantly, known and respected as a man of integrity and character, both on the court and off. He has been a strong and positive influence on everyone here at Cheverus, and he will be greatly missed.”

In retirement, Brown will have more time to enjoy fishing, playing bridge and tennis. He and his wife, Bonny, plan on traveling and spending more time with their children, Brett and Barbra, and their seven grandchildren.

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