Their opponent was Rush-Henrietta of Section V.

The date was Feb. 14 at “The Mac.”

The final score? Red & Green 71, Royal Comets 51, and it wasn’t even that close.

Jamestown (18-3) will renew acquaintances with Rush-Henrietta (20-2) on Friday, but the stakes will be considerably higher than they were a month ago as the two state-ranked Class AAA programs — the Red & Green is No. 13 and the Royal Comets are No. 14 in this week’s poll — meet in the Far West Regional at 7:45 p.m. at Gates-Chili High School.

Jamestown’s Elijah Farmer rises for a shot between Niagara Falls defenders Michael Taylor, front, and Marshawn Mctyere during the Section VI Class AAA final at Buffalo State Sports Arena on Saturday. Photo courtesy of Steve Garvey

The winner advances to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association final four next week in Binghamton.

Miley, who is in his second season at the helm of his alma mater, would like to make it two straight regional wins, but he’s also very much aware it will be easier said than done.

“I certainly hope we can shoot the ball like (the first time) … but it’s hard to do,” Miley said. “I think we’ll be ready, but they’ve only lost two games all year, and I’m sure they’ve had this one circled (on the calendar) a little bit, knowing they probably didn’t play their best, so I don’t think it will be quite as easy.”

In that game in Jamestown, the Royal Comets, who defeated Fairport 53-50 in the Section V title game for a berth in Friday’s regional, were led by junior Jalen Taggert, who poured in a game-high 39 points, but he received little support from his teammates.

“For whatever reason,” Miley said, “he dominated the scoring, but they’ve had other guys who score in double figures.”

Rush-Henrietta will also have 6-foot-8 senior Amir Abdul-Haqq in the lineup. He did not play against Jamestown last month.

“He certainly affects a lot at the defensive end,” Miley said. “It’s hard to replicate 6-8, and a bouncy 6-8 at that.”

The Red & Green have plenty of weapons, too, notably senior Jaydian Johnson, and juniors Dom Gonzalez and Elijah Farmer. Johnson, who is coming off a 25-point performance in the Section VI championship win over Niagara Falls, is averaging 23.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.3 steals per game, while Gonzalez (16.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.3 apg, 2.6 spg) and Farmer (15.9 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 2.8 apg, 2.0 bpg) are also very dangerous.

“I think it certainly helps that we have three guys back that were major parts of the run last year,” Miley said. “Even (senior) Carson Panebianco, being one of the four starters, he’s played a lot of big football games over the years and been to Buffalo State a million times, between watching and being up there as a sophomore, so the moment is not going to be too big for him.

“The guys who haven’t been there before, for the first time the other day (against Niagara Falls), did a nice job and did what they do well. I expect the same kind of effort Friday.”

Miley said last year’s run to the state final four, which was held in Glens Falls, was the result of his team being “hungry.”

This season, the road has been a little different.

“We felt this year, knowing essentially we only had to play Niagara Falls (in the Section VI playoffs), and that we were able to compete with Rush-Henrietta the first time we played and they were one of the best ones out there, it’s a realistic chance to get (to the final four).”

If that should happen, the Red & Green will play the state semifinal at 7:45 p.m. March 20 at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton. The opponent will be either Section VIII’s Port Washington or Section XI’s Half Hollow Hills East. The state championship game is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. March 21.

NOTES: Jamestown will be seeking its fifth Far West Regional crown and its third in four years. Last year, the Red & Green knocked off Victor 51-46 in the Class AA game. … Johnson has moved up the school’s all-time scoring list in a big way. Now at 1,276 points for his career, he is fourth, behind only Maceo Wofford (2,259), Justin Johnson (1,670) and Zack Panebianco (1,332), Carson’s older brother. … Jaydian Johnson is seventh all-time in 3-pointers made (147), sixth in assists (289), and tied for 11th in steals (142). … Gonzalez and Farmer are likely the next Jamestown players to reach 1,000 career points. With another season still remaining, Gonzalez stands at 685 points, while Farmer is at 547. … In his two seasons as head coach, Miley’s record is 39-8.