have the mettle to compete

the Knicks proved they have the mettle to compete for 48 minutes and survive on the road.

met·tle /ˈmetl/ n [U] 
courage and determination to do something even when it is very difficult

That mental toughness was best exemplified by Jeremy Lin, who was awful for three quarters but on the mark when it mattered most.
on the mark
Fig. right on the measurement point; showing just the right anount.


Lin keyed a game-breaking 8-0 run in the fourth after starting 1 of 13, and is showing he is best during crunch time. 


I hear this stuff, ‘It came out of nowhere.’ I think it’s a load of [garbage]. You can’t play that well and just come out of nowhere. There has to be something there and everybody missed it.

So heads would roll [if I was owner].’’