The Townsville Crocodiles have overcome an injury depleted Sydney Kings outfit to record their first NBL road victory of the season, winning 109-91 at the Sydney Entertainment Centre.

Cairns import Casey Calvary was the star for the winners, scoring a team-high 22 points as well as pulling down 11 rebounds. He was well supported by John Rillie (17 points) and Robert Brown (16 points).

The Kings were unable to overcome the loss of playmakers CJ Bruton and Luke Kendall, who both left the game with serious injuries, as the two-time defending champions went down for the second straight game at home.

Athens Olympian Bruton suffered suspected torn ligaments in his right elbow after a clash with teammate Brett Wheeler under the basket early in the second quarter, with the Kings looking comfortable as they led 35-31.

Kendall went down in the third after he fell awkwardly on his left knee, and despite the best efforts of skipper Jason Smith, who finished with a game-high 28 points on 11 of 15 shooting, the depleted Kings were unable to stay with the visitors.

Both Bruton and Kendall are due to have scans in the morning to determine the extent of their injuries.

The Kings started the brighter of the two teams, jumping out to an early 12-5 lead. Despite a couple of thunderous dunks to import Casey Calvary, the Crocs were unable to eat into the seven-point margin as they went into the first break down 29-22.

In the absence of Bruton, Smith took it upon himself to carry the Kings in the second period. He nailed back-to-back threes to open up a nine-point lead for the home side 46-37, before Townsville closed out the term with a 12-2 run to take the halftime lead 49-48.

Smith was inspirational in the third term. In one play, he desperately flung a ball back in court as it was sailing out of bounds, regathered possession and nailed the three-pointer to give Sydney a 57-56 lead.

But Townsville regained its composure to take a 76-69 lead into the final term, and it went on with the job in the last, outscoring the Kings 33-22 to claim an easy 18-point win.

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