THE 2025 JBT DESERT OPEN MARATHON

champs & finalists

            Brandon Rother and Christopher Charron opened the 30th season of JBT competition with big wins at the Desert Open, hosted by Bowlero Gilbert.

            In scratch, Gage Baker absolutely ran over qualifying with a +440 12-game total on 3 different patterns, and defended his top seed through matchplay into the finals.  Rother, the #2 seed, also tore through the matchplay rounds, setting up the chalk matchup between two veterans.  On a tricky pair, Brandon finally made the right set of adjustments to squeeze by Baker and earn the 13th title of his JBT career.

            Handicap ended up, perhaps appropriately, in a battle of Cactus bowlers for the coveted glass cactus trophy.  In a match that came down to the final shot, 14 year-old Charron edged 9 year-old Zoe Eden for the title.  Girls Scratch went to Jadeyn Mabry, who beat Paityn Gaines before headed back to William Paterson for school.  Gage got some consolation in U17, finally lining up on the same pair to beat Gavin Fernandez for that subdivision win. 

            Huge thanks to Jodi and the team at Gilbert for not only a great hosting job, but doing so on short notice.  The season is just getting started- check out our schedule and email us to reserve your spots today!

This event is at or near sellout.  Please tell your friends to email reservations ASAP, and double check that the list below is accurate.

Date: Saturday and Sunday August 9-10, 2025  (This is ONE tournament that is two days long, open to anyone age 21 & under as of 8/1/25.)

Start Time: Saturday qualifying squads at 9 AM and approximately 1:30 PM, Sunday qualifying at 9 AM; all bowlers bowl all three qualifying squads.

Re-entries?:  There are no re-entries this event..

Reservations:  Please email director@bowljbt.com to reserve a spot.  You can prepay (not required) at the 'Prepaying' section of this website.  Reservations (paid or unpaid) must check in no later than 15 minutes before start time.  At that time, all bowlers will be taken on a first come, first serve basis until the field is full.

Format: Qualifying round is 12 games.  The top 16 in each division advance to matchplay* (*see below).   

Divisions/ Averages:  Scratch or handicap.  It is the bowlers' choice of division.  Also, everyone age 16 or under as of 8/1/25 is automatically entered in the U-17 side event.   Also, every female is automatically entered in the Girls Scratch side event.   If this is your first JBT event, or had less than 15 games in JBT competition last season, and you wish to bowl handicap, we will be asking for average info.  In most cases, your highest average from any current form of organized competition of at least 15 games is what we need.  If you don't have 15 games yet this season, we need your highest finishing average from any form of competition in the 2024-25 season, AND any finishing 2025 summer league averages.  If you bowl multiple leagues / clubs, bring everything and we'll sort it out for you.  After your first JBT event, your average is re-rated before every JBT event according to JBT rules.  Please see JBT Rule 13 for complete details.

Points:  This event counts for DOUBLE Arizona and All-Conference points.  Points qualify you for the big money season-ending Invitationals and Touring Players Championship, so get all you can.  Visit the 'statistics' section of the website to check on your points.  As the end of the season, the top 40 in Arizona points, plus anyone who had TWO top-5 finishes in an Arizona event this season, advance to their respective Invitationals.

Entry fee: $120.  Scholarship brackets are available for $2 each.  Raffle tickets for Brands of Brunswick bowling balls, and our PowerBowl and 'perfect 30' jackpots, are available on-site. 

Sponsor Incentive bonuses:  1) IAM Bowling: Bowlers making the final match of an event (scratch or handicap) wearing an IAM patch (good), any IAM shirt (better), or an IAM JBT shirt (best) earn point bonuses towards an IAM incentive jackpot.  (The IAM patch is requested to be worn by all bowlers).   2) Virtue Bowling: Bowlers making the final match of an event (scratch or handicap, win or lose), using a Virtue Bowling shirt or patch, and a Virtue drilled ball, earn a $25 Virtue gift card.   These incentives are pending official renewal for the 25-26 season.

Scholarships: 1:6 in each division earn scholarships, scratch and handicap.  Minimum prizes are $600, $300, $150, $150.  Bowlers must finish in the top 4 twice in this conference this season to qualify for this conference's Invitational, which features $1,000 for first place.  Bowlers who finish in the top 20 in a conference's points race, or the top 120 in all-conference points, qualify for the 2026 Touring Players Championship, featuring $3,000 for first.

Lane conditions: conditions vary from event to event, and are not posted prior to the event (unless otherwise announced).  Some events do not post the pattern until after qualifying.  Be ready for anything- it makes you a better bowler!  Check out previous patterns and corresponding cut scores at the 'lane conditions' section of this website to get an idea of what you might expect.

Dress code:  Anything goes EXCEPT tank tops, gym shorts, clothing promoting alcohol, drugs, or firearms, or excessively ripped or short clothing, subject solely to the director's discretion.  However, bowlers wearing slacks or dress shorts/skirts, and a 'name shirt' or PBA-style 'dye-sub' shirt, or college or high school team shirt, earn an extra 10 points on their season-long points total.  If you're not sure about dress code, check with us.  If you're new to us, the vast majority of the bowlers do dress in the 'bonus' dress code, and those points become very important, so plan accordingly.

RESERVED BOWLERS:

This event is at or near sellout.  Please tell your friends to email reservations ASAP, and double check that the list below is accurate.

This reservation is an expectation that you will be bowling.  PLEASE do not forget to contact us if you need to cancel or adjust your reservation.  Repeated 'no-shows' may result in you not being able to reserve a spot.  This list may not be updated after the Friday of the event as we travel, etc.  However, walk-ins / late entries are still gladly accepted as space permits. 

The 2025 JBT Desert Open Marathon

Practice:  Friday August 8

Tournament:  Saturday & Sunday August 9-10, 2025

at

Bowlero Gilbert, 1160 S. Gilbert Rd., (480) 813-2695

All bowlers roll 12 games on 3 different lane patterns!

Top 16 advance to single elimination matchplay!**

Per block and overall prizes- bonuses for the champs can translate into THOUSANDS:

*This event is part of the 2025-26 JBT season

and counts for DOUBLE Arizona and All-Conference JBT points!*

FORMAT:  (TWO divisions, your choice of scratch or handicap; U17 and Girls Scratch included free)

Friday August 8:

• 3 PM - 7 PM                     practice on all patterns, $20 all you can bowl (pay this to the center when you arrive)

Saturday August 9:

• 9 AM:                               4 games, pattern 1
• approx 1:30 PM:              4 games, pattern 2   (ALL times after starting time approximate pending re-oil)

Sunday August 10:

• 9 AM:                               4 games, pattern 3

              the top 16  twelve-game totals advance to matchplay** top 4 sees earn one round bye**

• approx. 1:15 PM:              round of 16, RACE TO 2 threeway matchplay,   highest scratch seed chooses pattern!
• 3:00 PM:                           rounds of 8 and 4, best 2-of-3 matchplay    (starting times approx. following round completion)
• 5 PM:                                round of 2, single game match

**23+ entries cuts to 16; 16-22 entries cuts to 12; less than 16 entries cuts to 8

ENTRY FEE:  $120, $125 if paid by card on-site .      

PRIZE FUNDS: (based 36 entries- 1:6 earn awards)                             $600 first place guaranteed (plus below)!

Every 5-game block:                                        final standings:                                   CHAMP ALSO RECEIVES:

1^st-      $50                                                        1^st-          $600                                       - exemption in day 2 of 2026 TPC

                                                                        2^nd-         $300                                       - the famous glass cactus trophy!

                                                                        3^rd-4^th-    $150                                       - 5 brackets AND 25 raffle tix

- High overall female (if no other prize won): $100                5^th-8th    $100                                       at EVERY 25-26 JBT event!

This is AWESOME!!!  To enter, email us at director@bowljbt.com.

  Much more info at the www.bowljbt.com.  Don’t miss this!