Import Kavossy Franklin led the way for the visitors with an MVP performance scoring 27 points including three-from-six at the three-point line to help the Dragons score their second consecutive victory.

Shane Heal showed his performance has not suffered in the dual role of captain/coach with 18 points and six assists including the match-winning bucket down the stretch.

Frank Drmic (16 points, 10 rebounds) and power forward Rosell Ellis (16 points, 11 rebounds) both made important contributions in their side’s win on debut at the Townsville Entertainment Centre.

Townsville’s imports led the way for the home side with Larry Abney scoring 28 points and 13 rebounds, and new point guard Jelani Gardner going close to a triple-double with 19 points, seven rebounds and nine assists.

John Rillie tried to lead his side from the front with 24 points including five-from-ten triples, while Brad Newley picked up 15 points as he duelled with NBA aspirant and league rookie Joe Ingles who impressed with 11 points.

The Dragons looked confident from the start and led at every change to eventually run out easy 13-point victors. They were hot early with new import Ellis too hard to handle at the offensive end.

The American picked up rebounds at will in the opening exchanges and accumulated easy baskets as the visitors took a 29-28 lead into the first break.

Newley and Rillie were the danger men for Heal’s Dragons, with both scoring from outside the arc in the first quarter.

Townsville looked disjointed in attack early in the second term and lost momentum as its shooting dried up from the outside. The Dragons were strong inside the paint and went on a seven-nil run halfway through the stanza to build a double-digit advantage (44-34).

The southerners kept defensive pressure on the home team throughout the remainder of the term with Ellis and fellow import Franklin keeping the scoreboard ticking over.

The Crocodiles relied on the three-pronged attack of Rillie, Newley and Abney to stay in the contest but at half-time the new Melbourne franchise went into the main break up 53-48.

The Dragons looked a chance to win the match at the start of the third term with Jacob Holmes (14 points) regularly scoring from outside the arc.

But from the midway point of the stanza the Crocodiles had all the running with Abney dynamic in a seven-point break to retake the lead 65-62 with four minutes remaining.

Both teams were finding it hard to find their range with pressure being exerted inside the paint for those who approached the basket. The Dragons only scored 17 points in the third term but still held a one-point lead at the last break (70-69).

The visitors continued to extend their margin in the opening minutes of the final term with Franklin landing triples at will. When Heal scored two of his own halfway through the stanza the Crocs looked dead and buried, down 94-78.

The margin tightening up towards the end as the Crocs forced the visitors to the foul line but a triple and double from Heal ended any hope of a home side recovery as the Dragons ran out 13-point victors.

The South Dragons (2-6) head back to Melbourne for Friday night’s clash with the Brisbane Bullets at Vodafone Arena. Meanwhile, the Crocodiles (5-5) are looking to rebound and complete a three-game shut out of the Kings when they play at the Sydney Entertainment Centre on Friday night.