Karin Richardson, a 16-year-old junior point guard on the Neighborhood House Charter School girls’ varsity basketball team, reached a career milestone last Friday evening when she scored her 1,000th point and totaled 16 for the night while playing against Boston Prep in front of a packed gym at the Kroc Center in Dorchester, where Neighborhood House plays its home games.

The Roxbury resident started the season with 780 points and came into Friday night’s match-up with their league rivals with 997, so the fans and her family were ready to mark the occasion with posters, fat heads, and balloons. “It was an awesome experience for her and everyone there to see years and years of hard work kind of come together and culminate in one moment,” said Scott Urban, the school’s athletic director.

Richardson scored a layup right off the bat on Friday. “We had a whiteboard out to do the countdown so the fans could see and then about four minutes into the first quarter she had another layup and that put her at the 1,000,” Urban said. “We stopped play, had her whole family come down – which was about 40 people that night – and we did photos.”

Richardson is the first girl in the school’s history to hit the 1,000-point mark, and doing so as a junior added to the excitement. NHCS alum Tavon Rhodes scored over 1,000 points for the boys’ team last season as a senior.

“I’ve not seen anyone that we’ve played against who can get to the basket the way she does,” said Urban, “the way she can weave in between defenses and get to the hoop. She usually finishes but if she’s not, she’s getting to the line and converting on free throws.”
Girl’s varsity head coach Charlene Fernandes, NHCS class of ’08, has spent the past decade building the basketball program from the ground up.

Girl’s Varsity Head Coach Charlene Fernandes met Richardson when she was in middle school. Even then she knew Richardson would one day reach 1,000 points. Jen Green photos

“Everyone knew Karin was going to do it, but when she actually did it, I was overwhelmed with emotions ‘cause I’ve seen this in her since the day I started coaching her,” said Fernandes, who has coached Richardson since her eighth-grade varsity debut. “I’ve seen the potential in her and the full circle of her growth in everything not just with 1000 points but her leadership, her academics, everything. It was so fulfilling to see all that.”

Richardson knows that she couldn’t have done it without Fernandes. “I would like to thank Coach Cha for always holding me down and pushing to what she’s really seen in me,” Richardson told The Reporter. “Coach Cha and I have a bond on and off the court and I love and enjoy her energy and the way she looks out for me at all times.”

She also credited her former coaches, family, and friends.

“I felt like it was a big moment in life to hit 1k as a junior. Friday night made me feel confident and as if I was worth something. It was a great experience and the crowd’s positive energy made me more excited. I enjoyed how the NHCS community, my family, and others outside of my school went out of their way to spend the most important times with me.”

After the celebration ended, Richardson continued to put up points adding 14 more to her team’s 54-26 win. She also made sure to get her teammates in on the fun.

“She kept playing and was getting her teammates more involved in that game, especially teammates who are [usually] on the bench,” said Fernandes. “She was encouraging them to play and to just have fun.”

Although Friday was a big milestone, the school’s season isn’t over yet. The Dorchester girls will take on Lynn Classical this Friday and then will be looking toward the playoffs.

“We’ve already clinched a playoff seed so that’s great but beyond that, we would really love to make it to the Sweet 16 or even the Elite 8,” Urban said. “I think we have the talent this year to do it. I think we also have the ability to win the Charter Conference Championship as well.”

Luckily for the Legends, Richardson will be on the court for the playoffs and back next year for her final season of high school hoops. After that, college play is likely in the future. 

“She’s super focused. Really the only thing she thinks about is basketball,” said Urban. “She just wants to hoop.”