O’Neal Unlikely to Play Sunday Against Seattle

Charger defensive end Leslie O’Neal, who has played in the team’s past 2 games after missing nearly 2 years following knee surgery, is unlikely to play Sunday at Seattle, Coach Al Saunders said Tuesday.

Saunders said O’Neal probably will be given a rest because his knee is sore and he is concerned that the artificial turf in the Kingdome might aggravate the condition.

Saunders said he did want to endanger O’Neal’s comeback by playing him too much this early. O’Neal has been used sparingly since his return, mainly in pass-rush situations.

Saunders also said that running back Curtis Adams, the team’s leading rusher last season, might be placed on the injured reserve list today because of a knee injury. If Adams goes on injured reserve, Saunders said running back Barry Redden would be activated. Redden has been on the injured reserve list since Aug. 30 with a hand injury.

FOOTBALL

San Diego State outside linebacker Kevin Maultsby will undergo tests on his injured neck this week and will miss Saturday’s game at Utah, a school spokesman said.

Maultsby, a senior from Walnut Creek, Calif., injured his neck in a game against Hawaii Oct. 15 and has not played since.

Todd Santos has been waived by the San Francisco 49ers, one week after the team signed him. Santos, the NCAA career passing yardage leader while at San Diego State, was drafted by New Orleans and cut during training camp.

Scouts from the Holiday Bowl will watch five teams Saturday as they look for an opponent to meet the Western Athletic Conference champion in the game Dec. 30 at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

Scouts will watch Indiana (5-1-1) playing host to Iowa, Oklahoma (6-1) playing host to Kansas, Oklahoma State (5-1) at Kansas State, Oregon (6-1) playing host to Arizona State and Washington (4-3) playing host to Stanford.

Bowl officials may not extend an invitation until Nov. 19.

NBA

Zack Jones, formerly of San Diego State and San Diego-based Athletes-in-Action, was cut by the Cleveland Cavaliers Tuesday.

Jones, a 6-foot 5-inch, 28-year-old who has never made a regular-season NBA roster, was invited to try out with the Cavaliers.

Jones is expected to return to Athletes in Action.

MEN’S SOCCER

Point Loma Nazarene dropped an NAIA District 3 game to Fresno Pacific, 3-0. One of Fresno Pacific’s goals came when a Point Loma Nazarene defender kicked the ball into his own net. Gabe Rivas and Fausto Ruiz each scored for Fresno Pacific (6-10-1, 4-3-1). Point Loma Nazarene is 8-8-1 and 1-4.

VOLLEYBALL

Claudia Johnson had 24 kills, but U.S. International University lost to Cal State Fullerton, 16-14, 7-15, 12-15, 15-10, 15-12 in a nonconference match at the Lawrence Jewish Community Center in La Jolla. USIU is 5-10; Cal State Fullerton is 10-16.

Connie Navarro had 13 kills as host Point Loma Nazarene defeated Mount St. Mary’s, 15-6, 15-2, 15-5, in a nonconference match. Traci Daniels and Janell Dutton each had 3 aces for Point Loma Nazarene.