Watch out, world, Georgetown is back.

After signing two McDonald’s all-Americans last year in guards Austin Freeman and Chris Wright, Georgetown received a verbal commitment from power forward Greg Monroe (Helen Cox, Harvey, La.), the nation’s top class of 2008 recruit. Monroe was also interested in LSU, Duke, Texas and Connecticut, having already visited his in-state LSU.

“Greg is the best [high school] player in the country,” said Dave Telep, National Recruiting Director for the recruiting website scout.com.

Telep, who has seen Monroe play “a few times” this year believes the 6-foot-10 220-pound Monroe will easily transition to Georgetown’s Princeton offense:

“He’s tailor-made to how Georgetown plays. He’s an unselfish guy, he handles the ball well and he’s great with his back to the basket.”

Telep also said the talent already in place at Georgetown gives the team a legitimate chance to win a national championship in the coming years.

“He hasn’t had a lot of help [on his current teams]. He’s been like a Batman with no Robin,” Telep said.

Friday’s Midnight Madness brought together the elements that cement Georgetown’s resurgence as a national basketball power.

Jeff Green’s Seattle Supersonics jersey was unveiled, joining the likes of Patrick Ewing and Mike Sweetney on the northern wall of McDonough Gymnasium.

The Final Four banner from last year was also unveiled along with new, modern looking banners commemorating the runs in 1982 and 1985 and the 1984 national championship.

Head Coach John Thompson III, freshly signed to a six-year contract extension, stood amidst his handiwork on the wall, the title contender he’s assembled in three years on the job and the slew of top-notch recruits watching from the top of the cDonough bleachers.

Monroe and fellow high-profile recruits, senior Renaldo Woolridge and junior Hollis Thompson were present at Friday’s idnight Madness and spent most of the evening together. The trio sat together throughout the night’s events and left together after the festivities.

They offered similar assessments of Georgetown.

“I like it here,” Monroe said, “All the students are very friendly, the support on campus is nice.”

Afterward, Woolridge, a 6-foot-8 senior forward out of North Hollywood, Calif., said he enjoyed Midnight Madness and the loud student support inside was encouraging. At the time he said he was still deciding between Georgetown, USC and Tennessee but his visit to the Hilltop will help him make a decision.

“I’m still taking everything in but it’s real cool to see the fan support like this,” Woolridge said in the cDonough parking lot. He said he has been enjoying the time with onroe and Thompson, with whom he is familiar from the AAU circuit.

Thompson, a lanky small forward from Los Angeles had similar words for Midnight Madness, saying he was impressed but still taking in the recruiting process and had not yet reached a decision.

Woolridge and Augustus Gilchrist are the highest-profile recruits still considering Georgetown for the class of 2008. Gilchrist, a 6-foot-9 center, committed to Virginia Tech last year but asked to be released from his letter of intent following the shootings. Reports say he is interested in Georgetown.

“The pied piper has just been signed,” Telep said of onroe’s drawing power.

Assuming freshman forward Omar Wattad is on scholarship and no one leaves early for the NBA draft, Monroe’s signing leaves just one scholarship open for the class of 2008 as shooting guard Jason Clark, center Henry Sims and power forward Chris Braswell all verbally committed to the Hoyas as juniors but cannot sign letters of intent until Nov.1.