The Adelaide 36ers' late surge for a finals berth continued after a stirring 102-100 win over the Singapore Slingers at the Distinctive Homes Dome in Adelaide.

In a tight contest the 36ers looked home when Brett Maher shot them out to a 17-point lead early in the final term.

But the Slingers stunned the noisy Dome crowd with a late rally to equalise in the dying minutes, before some composed shooting from the 36ers finally settled the issue.

Maher was inspirational with 25 points, while Lanard Copeland (21) and the consistent Nick Horvath (15) were also instrumental in the win.

Marquin Chandler sank 20 points for the Slingers with terrific support from Mike Helms (20) and Ben Knight (14).

Adelaide assistant coach Steve Breheny said the performance of Maher was a key to the win.

"He's had a slow start but the last three or four games he's been the Brett of old," he said.

Breheny also heaped praise on the impact of 36ers' veteran, Copeland, who came off the bench to produce one of his best games of the season.

"For someone who's 40, played nearly 500 games, he's our most enthusiastic person," he said.

Slingers' coach Gordon McLeod said, although there was a temptation to focus on the merits of the team's fightback, he was disappointed with the effort in the early stages.

"We didn't feel that we came out with enough vigour and enough energy," he said.

"The Sixers were able to really get into that groove that we know they're so capable of doing, so that was the thing that we were really disappointed with.

"I guess the thing that we got to be extremely proud of is the character that we showed to dig ourselves back into it."

In the opening minutes of a physical clash Mike Helms burst out of the blocks to sink three baskets for the Slingers, before a busy Brett Maher awoke the 36ers from their lethargy for them to take a 26-25 lead into the break.

Ben Melmeth and Brad Davidson joined the fired up Helms to sink some pressure baskets and the home side went in at halftime with a hard earned 47-40 advantage.

It was Copeland who sparked the 36ers in the third with a 10-point haul but the Slingers limited the damage to 75-65 at the final break and got level at 98-98 in the last.

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