After gaining experience as a high school assistant and a club head coach, Brandin Brown felt prepared for his first high school head coaching gig.

But getting that opportunity at his alma mater, Homewood-Flossmoor, was even better than he could have imagined. It’s truly a dream job for Brown.

“It’s definitely a blessing,” Brown said. “It’s not something that I’m taking for granted. I went to middle school, elementary school and high school there. I lived 25 years of my life there.

“Having the opportunity to come back home is something I can’t put into words.”

Brown, a 2007 graduate, was named H-F’s head boys basketball coach in June. He replaces Jamere Dismukes, who left to become an assistant at NCAA Division I program Long Island.

Dismukes went 81-22 over three seasons and led the Vikings to the Class 4A state championship in 2023-24, the first state title in program history.

H-F’s last loss during that historic season came to Bolingbrook, where Brown was an assistant coach. Once the Raiders were eliminated from the playoffs, however, Brown was pulling for his alma mater.

Brown said he was thrilled to see the program break through after experiencing decades of success but falling short of the championship every winter.

“The night before the state championship game, I had a conversation with coach Dismukes, telling him how proud I was and that if we weren’t going to win it, I was certainly rooting for them,” Brown said. “When they got it done, I got a little bit emotional myself.”

Brown spent three seasons at Bolingbrook as an assistant under longtime coach Rob Brost. He was also an assistant at St. Viator. Additionally, Brown is the co-founder and program director of the Illinois Flight, an AAU program. He’s also the 15U head coach for MeanStreets on the Nike EYBL circuit.

Brown credited his time at Bolingbrook for getting him ready to take over his own high school program.

“I give coach Brost all the credit in the world,” Brown said.

“He really prepared me in every way, shape and form. He allowed me to have a lot of responsibility, probably more than he should have with me not having much experience and being a younger guy in this game.

“He really trusted me and really showed me the way, and I can’t thank him enough.”

Marvin Douglas, a forward who is headed into his senior season, has been impressed while getting to know Brown during summer ball.

“I know he wants it,” Douglas said of Brown. “I know he wants to win, and he’s going to push all of us to win and have a good season.

“Being an alum, he knows the standard here and he wants to keep that going. We’re ready to learn from him and make something happen.”

That tradition that Douglas spoke of is certainly important to Brown.

“Everything that was laid before us means something,” Brown said. “Now, I’ve got to get them to understand what it means to play here at Homewood-Flossmoor. I’ve always said it’s one of those things that you don’t understand unless you’re in it.

“My job is to get the guys to build off what’s been done since I was there, before I was there, and get them to understand what it means to wear that uniform.”

H-F, which followed up that state championship by going 30-5 last season with an appearance in the sectional final, has some rebuilding to do.

Point guard Darrius Hawkins, who is heading into his sophomore season, is one of the state’s top players in his class. But he’s the only player on the roster with much varsity experience.

“I expect them to take bumps and bruises along the way,” Brown said. “But our job as coaches is going to be to accelerate that growing process.”