GARY | If the 18-team International Basketball Association was supposed to be a step up for the Gary Steelheads in regard to credibility and dependability, what did that make the shoddy USBL last season?

The Steelheads left the USBL after half its teams folded.

Now, their new home -- the cost-efficient IBL -- could be putting them out on the street after Gary announced it will not compete at this weekend's Eastern Conference playoffs in Elkhart due to financial reasons.

For much of the season, office and game-day personnel complained to media of not being paid. The players threatened to boycott their May 24 home game with Windy City, but were then reassured by chief operations officer Jewell Harris Jr. that the checks were in the mail.

On Thursday, the phone to the Steelheads' office had been temporarily disconnected and coach Rob Spon was told to direct all media questions to Harris and Darnail Lyles. Both are attorneys and part of the Showtime Sports and Entertainment LLC ownership group.

Neither Harris nor Lyles were available for comment.

IBL President Mikel Duilio said it doesn't matter.

"It's minor league basketball, so final word is usually final word," Duilio said. "As of right now, they're not in the tournament. To wait until Friday would not be realistic because our event is Friday."

Steelheads center Kenyon Gamble said the players, who were angry and frustrated at first over speculation their playoff trip would be scratched, met late Wednesday and agreed to play for free if today's checks arrived.

Shawn Gamble, the Elkhart Express's director of gameday operations, had said earlier this week that he couldn't wait until today to see if Gary would compete because of weekend preparations that had to be finalized.

The team from Holland, Mich., dropped out because its players refused to play for free.

Gary had been scheduled to play a yet-to-determined opponent 3 p.m. Saturday at the Elkhart North Side Gymnasium.