ST. AUGUSTINE - Flagler College head women's basketball coach Mo Smith announced the addition of three student-athletes for the 2020-21 season. The newcomers are Beka Benge (St. Cloud, Fla./St. Cloud HS), Marta Franco (Miami, Fla./SLAM Miami Charter School), and Amuk Tong (Jacksonville, Fla./Bishop Kenny HS).

Benge is a 5-foot-5 shooting guard who has starred at the same high school (St. Cloud) as senior guard Kierra Crane. She helped lead the Bulldogs to a Class 8A final four appearance and a 29-3 overall record last year. As a junior, Benge broke the school record for 3-pointers made in a game with nine and she holds the season record with 105, which was a record for Osceola County. She was a third-team all-state selection and was picked to the all-area team by the Orlando Sentinel. Benge was fourth in the state in 3-pointers and was the top junior in the same category.

"Beka is a great shooter and tough young lady who loves to compete," said Smith. "We feel that we signed one of the best shooters out of the Florida high school system. Outside of Beka's shooting ability, she is a good ball handler, who has played the point guard position a lot for her high school. She will give us the ability to stretch the floor because of her being such a threat on the perimeter. We are excited that she is a Flagler Saint."

Franco is a 5-foot-4 point guard who has had a standout career at SLAM Miami Charter. She helped lead the Titans to the Class 4A state semifinals last season, for the third year in a row. Franco was a first-team all-state selection by the FBCA and earned first-team all-county honors from the Miami Herald.

"Marta is a tough competitor who can play both ends of the floor very well,' said Smith. "She is very good in the open floor with the ball in her hands. She has the ability to score at multiple levels by either getting to the basket, shooting the pull up, or shooting the three. Marta is a tenacious defender who takes pride in in her defense. Another great attribute to her game is her ability to see the floor and set her teammates up for success. She's going to be a very good player for us over the next four years."

Tong is a 6-foot center who plays at nearby Bishop Kenney for Flagler alum Charlsea (Owen) Clark. She was a member of the Crusaders team that reached the regional final in 2018.  

"Amuk is a physical skilled post who has a great understanding of the game," said Smith. "She is a crafty lefty and plays tough inside. Amuk is a strong rebounder and defender and has the ability to shoot the 15-17 foot shot. She will give us the size and post presence needed for this class. Amuk will be a very good post in our league and it's going to be fun to watch her develop and reach her potential here in our program."

Flagler opens Peach Belt Conference play with road games at Georgia College (Thurs.) and Augusta University (Sat.). 

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