DANVILLE — Two years ago, Kiel Turpin was thinking about giving up basketball.

He was growing so fast, his abilities were not able to keep up with his growth.

“I didn’t know that I was going to grow six inches in a year,’’ he said. “I was having problems with every part of my game.’’

Lincoln College coach Kirk Whiteman and Normal West boys basketball coach Brian Cupples can testify to that.

“I went to see him practice last year at Normal West,’’ Whiteman said. “They threw the ball into Kiel, he turned and shot an air ball. I was kind of wondering what I was doing there, and Brian starts clapping. I didn’t understand it.

“He then tells me that ‘a year ago, Kiel wouldn’t have even caught the basketball.’”

Whiteman decided to take a chance on a 6-foot-11 lanky kid that was still trying to grow into his body.

On Saturday night, Whiteman’s gamble paid off in spades.

Turpin scored a game-high 21 points as the Lincoln Lynx captured the NJCAA Division II National Championship with a 71-60 victory over the Cincinnati State Surge.

And for his efforts, Turpin, who averaged 16.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.8 blocks this week, was named the tournament’s most valuable player.

“I barely played in high school and come in here and get in the starting lineup (on a national championship team) I would have never thought twice about that. It’s a huge shock,’’ Turpin said.

And anyone who watched Danville High basketball last year knows what he means.

Turpin didn’t start for the Normal West Wildcats a year ago, and he averaged just over 5 points a game.

“I had no hands,’’ he said. “I was uncoordinated in high school. I wasn’t afraid of the ball, but I pretty much didn’t want to be on the court.’’

So, it’s quite understandable when Whiteman says that Turpin’s biggest improvement has been confidence.

“He went from being a kid that didn’t get a lot, if any, touches in high school to being a kid that was having plays designed to get him the ball,’’ Whiteman said. “As his confidence level continues to grow, the sky is the limit.’’

Helping his confidence this season was practicing every day against an NJCAA all-American in Chris Ware, a 6-7 forward for the Lynx.

“I knew he was going to play like this, sooner or later,’’ Ware said. “He and I are always going at each other in practice. He makes me better because I have to contend with his height and I make him better, because he has to battle my strength.

“At the end of the day, I’m the older guy, so I’m going to get the last word.’’

One of the most surprised people at the Mary Miller Gymnasium this week has been his mother, Lisa Nichols.

“It’s shocking,’’ she said. “Last year, he was all arms and legs, and he didn’t know which way was which.

From being on the bench, and lucky to get four minutes to this is just remarkable. We are so glad that Kirk (Whiteman) took a chance on him. A lot of teams didn’t even look at him, so this is amazing.’’

Now, a number of major NCAA Division I teams are showing interest.

“He will definitely stay in Lincoln for one year,’’ said Nichols, who acknowledged that some schools have already started calling. “Our focus in college has been college first, sports are second. I’ve had enough experience with my first husband to know, even if you go pro, there is no guarantee you will make money. You have to have a degree. That is always going to be Kiel’s focus.’’

Kiel Turpin’s father is former Kentucky star and NBA player Mel Turpin.

“I know I get my height from him,’’ said Kiel, who actually used to get teased about being shorter than his sister, Mellisa Turpin, a 6-4 athlete at Normal West.

“That was the worst,’’ Kiel said.

Turpin doesn’t have to worry about that any more as he has a tournament MVP award backing him up.