Achoki Moikobu stepped up to help the Renton High boys basketball overcome two huge challenges and come out with a 74-71 win Wednesday night against Foster.

Renton head coach Rick Comer served in an assistant coaching role, following the death of his father on Sunday. Rashad Powell took over head coaching duties for the game and for the immediate future.

Then in the second quarter senior point guard Derek Lowe suffered a serious arm injury when Foster’s Yasin Abdullahi faked a shot and drove toward the hoop. Lowe jumped to block the shot and made contact with Abudullahi, coming down to the floor off balance and landing on his left arm. He lay on the floor while staff, and eventually paramedics, tended to him.

“That’s the head of your snake,” Powell said. “It’s an unbelievable blow. It’s like losing a quarterback, a coach on the floor … Achoki did a great job tonight filling that void.”

Because of the matchup, Lowe’s injury was especially damaging for the Indians. The Bulldogs utilize a pressure defense and Lowe is Renton’s best ball handler. Renton struggled right away and committed six turnovers in the final four minutes of the half after Lowe left the game.

Moikobu moved to point guard after Lowe’s injury and led all scorers with 24 points. He went 13-16 from the free throw line in the game.

“We’re not going to lose in our own house,” Moikobu said. “We just fed off of the crowd and our teammates.”

Renton came out rolling in the third quarter and stretched out a 12-point lead. The Indians worked past Foster’s pressure and got some quick shots.

“We just had to execute our stuff,” said Renton forward Joseph Holifield. “We know what they’re about and know what we’re about.”

Foster slowly chipped away and got within one point on a three-point play by Travis Miller with 1:35 left in the game. But it was Moikobu saving Renton once again.

The guard calmly made four free throws in the final minute to sustain Renton’s lead and the win.

Holifield was on fire from the opening jump ball, but suffered cramps and limped through the final minutes. He ended the contest with 20 points.

Adam Chisholm scored 14 points for Renton.

Comer was on the Renton bench, pitching in occasionally, but Powell was in charge.

“My head’s here, but it’s not really here,” Comer said. “I want the kids to have the best focus, especially in a game like this.”

It was the first loss of the season for Foster (7-1 overall, 5-1 Seamount) and it bumped the Bulldogs down to third in the league behind Renton (8-1, 7-0) and Mount Rainier (9-1, 6-0). The Indians remain in first place.