Consider

• rise to the occasion

• rise to the challenge
• step up
• thrive in a crisis

If the player or team were doing poorly and then rallied, you could say

come back from the dead

Consider

• rise to the occasion

• rise to the challenge
• step up
• thrive in a crisis
• thrive on adversity

If the player or team were doing poorly and then rallied, you could say

come back from the dead